School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Resources (SVAR) Collection

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https://dissertations.mak.ac.ug/handle/20.500.12281/6444

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    Prevalence of tick species infesting cattle in Itek Sub-County, Lira District
    ( 2024) Ajula, Emmanuel
    Ticks and tick-borne diseases (TTBDs) are a significant threat to livestock production in sub-Saharan Africa. Cattle trade, communal grazing and the presence of wildlife predispose cattle to TTBDs. Tick species abundance and distribution data can be used as a tool for early disease diagnosis and inform tick control strategies. However, these data for Itek sub-county were limited. Ticks were randomly collected from 210 cattle spread across Itek sub-county from 27th March, 2024 to 2nd April, 2024. The ticks were identified morphologically using a light stereo microscope. A collection of 702 ticks was examined and four tick species from two genera (three Rhipicephalus; one Amblyomma species) were identified. Amblyomma variegatum was the most dominant 343 (54.71%) tick species, followed by Rhipicephalus appendiculatus 213 (33.97%); Rhipicephalus decoloratus 70 (11.16%) and Rhipicephalus evertsi 1 (0.16%). Three of these tick species were ubiquitous in all the parishes while one, Rhipicephalus evertsi was only found in Olilo parish. The proportion of cattle infested with ticks in Itek sub-county was 95.7%. This study demonstrates high tick infestation rates in cattle by different tick species with potential to transmit several tick-borne diseases including zoonotic pathogens in Itek sub-county, Lira district. Rhipicephalus decoloratus transmit Babesia pathogens that cause bovine babesiosis, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus transmit Theileria that cause therilosis, Amblyomma variegatum transmit Erhlicia ruminatium that cause heartwater. The study provides the knowledge on tick fauna in Itek sub-county. Tick occurrence and prevalence data are useful in the design of targeted tick control strategies which are affordable and environmentally friendly. There is a need to determine the extent of spread of tick species in other regions of Uganda.
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    Prevalence, risk factors and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of uropathogenic escherichia coli among patients presenting with urinary tract infections at International Hospital, Kampala
    ( 2024) Changa, Daniel
    Urinary tract infections are the most common type of bacterial infection diagnosed today and Escherichia coli is the most frequent uropathogenic microorganism isolated with increasing antimicrobial resistance against common antibiotics. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence, risk factor and susceptibility pattern of uropathogenic Escherichia coli among UTI patients at IHK from January-March 2024. Urine samples were cultured on MacConkey agar media and antimicrobial susceptibility of E. coli colonies were done using VITEK 2 compact system while structured questionnaires were used to gather data on sociodemographic characteristics and risk factors. The prevalence of Escherichia coli was 21.0% while 3.0% had mixed infections and 24.0% of the patients had infections with other organisms isolated. The risk factor associated with E. coli infection were female (OR=1.18; CI=1.697-2.025), youth below 30 years (OR=1.83; CI=0.445-1.577) and the unmarried (single) patients (OR=1.69; CI=0.941-3.038). Escherichia coli isolates were susceptible to Piperacillin-tazobactam (100%), Nitrofurantoin (94.9%), Co-Amoxycalv (87.4%), Atreonam (79.7%). However, Escherichia coli isolates were highly resistant to most antimicrobials, especially Cefixime & cefotaxime at 100%, ceftazidin & ciprofloxacin at 90%, Meropenem (57%) while amoxicillin & Cotrimoxazole at 78.5% and 65.8% respectively. Therefore, the study recommended that; antimicrobial susceptibility be done on all urine sample from UTI patients before prescription of antibiotics, health education of the population at risk to reduce exposure to Escherichia coli, only trained personnel to prescribe antibiotics for treatment of UTI and susceptible new drug combinations be used in the treatment of UTI caused by Escherichia coli while resistant drugs should not be used for empirical treatment of UTI.
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    Prevalence of coccidiosis and knowledge, practice and effectiveness of anticoccidial drug regimens used in layer poultry farms in Kakiri Sub-County
    (Makerere University, 2023) Balemwa, Tonny.
    Coccidiosis, caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Eimeria, poses a significant threat to poultry worldwide, with seven known species infecting chickens. Despite being a long-known disease, it remains the most economically important parasitic condition in poultry production globally, causing severe symptoms like diarrhea, decreased growth, and high mortality rates. Birds contract the infection by ingesting oocytes from contaminated feeds, leading to the destruction of thousands of gastrointestinal cells. Preventing and controlling coccidiosis involve the use of anticoccidial drugs, combined with hygienic measures and improved farm management. However, coccidia's resistance to some drugs and challenges in assessing drug efficacy have emerged. As the broiler industry rapidly develops, the availability of effective anticoccidial drugs becomes crucial. Addressing drug effectiveness and interpreting the efficacy of anticoccidial programs are ongoing challenges in poultry management and disease control. This research aimed at determining the prevalence of coccidiosis, accessing the farmers' knowledge and practice regarding anticoccidial drugs, and establishing the effectiveness of these drugs in controlling the disease A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kakiri Sub-County in 2023 aimed to address the significant impact of coccidiosis on poultry productivity. The research focused on 46 randomly selected poultry farms to determine the prevalence of coccidiosis using fecal flotation and McMaster techniques. Simultaneously, the study assessed farmers' knowledge and practices concerning the use of anticoccidial drugs, aiming to establish the effectiveness of these treatments on farmer’s opinion in controlling the disease and the commonly used anticoccidial drug was identified. The questionnaire-based data collection involved well-structured interviews with farm owners and stakeholders, covering crucial factors such as chicken age, flock size, anticoccidial use, farmer’s knowledge and practice on use of anticoccidials. The prevalence of coccidiosis was found at 71.74% of the surveyed farms where 29 samples tested positive for the disease. Majority of the farmers reported use of toltrazuril (34.8%) in the management of the coccidiosis. Other drugs used include sulphadimidine (32.6%), amprolium (26.1%) and sodium salinomycin (6.5%). The farmers reported overall anticoccidial effectiveness of 78.3% from the used drugs indicating suboptimal efficacy of the drugs used in controlling coccidiosis. Toltrazuril was reported as most effective by the farmers at 93.8% effectiveness rate. Amprolium and sulphadimidine indicated 83.3% and 66.7% effectiveness respectively while feed additive sodium salinomycin was least effective at only 33.3%. Although the farmers had knowledge about coccidiosis and anticoccidial, practices regarding the prevention and treatment of coccidiosis were found to be inadequate. Only 32.6% of the farmers practiced proper dosage, 10.9% practiced proper withdraw periods and 43.6% followed proper drug mixing procedures. Due to a high coccidiosis prevalence, the study highlights the need for scheduled vaccination of birds at farm levels and awareness on biosecurity practices. This will have a significant impact on the health and productivity of poultry farms. The study highlights appropriate use of recommended anticoccidial drugs in poultry farms to archive maximum effectiveness of the drug regimens. Training programs and educational campaigns should be developed to equip farmers with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively control coccidiosis. Additionally, further research is warranted to evaluate the effectiveness of anticoccidial drugs at laboratory level.
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    An assessment of farmers’ knowledge, attitude and practices on drought mitigation
    (Makerere University, 2022) Musanyana, Brian
    The broad objective of the study was to assess farmers’ knowledge, attitude and practices on drought mitigation in Butemba town council, Butemba and Ntwetwe sub counties respectively in Kyankwanzi District. The specific objectives were to; to evaluate farmers’ knowledge on drought mitigation, to evaluate farmers’ attitude on drought preparedness and to find out farmers’ practices on drought response in Butemba town council, Butemba and Ntwetwe sub counties respectively. The study was across sectional survey that utilized qualitative data collection. Data collection methods used included the following focus group discussions, household interviews, individual farmer interviews, documentary analysis from district annual report and other secondary sources of data mainly articles on drought related issues. A number of mitigation measures put forward by farmers to ensure they are prepared for drought were identified which included construction of valley dams, selling of animals, growing of resistant crop varieties, pasture management and migration to other areas. In addition, other actors like government and Ngo’s intervention measures were identified for example construction of public valley dams, encouraging value addition through operation wealth creation to boast farmer market prices. The study recommended a number of activities and measures that should be undertaken in order to ensure the protection and prevention of farmers’ crisis during drought in Butemba town council, Ntwetwe and Butemba Sub counties of Kyankwanzi for example adopting to changing technology, practicing irrigation farming, forming co-operatives and establishment of Agricultural Banks with low interest rates.
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    Assessing the knowledge and practices of cattle farmers on rational antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance in Soroti District
    (Makerere University, 2026) Ariokot, Rebecca Muriel.
    Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing public health threat driven in part by irrational use of antimicrobials in livestock. This study aimed to assess knowledge, practices, and associated factors related to AMR among livestock farmers. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the months of June and July 2025 among 212 cattle farmers in Asuret, Lale and Kamuda sub counties of Soroti District using a structured questionnaire. Socio-demographic information, farm characteristics, recordkeeping practices, knowledge of AMU and AMR, awareness of drug residues and withdrawal periods, and preventive and treatment practices were recorded. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to determine associations between AMR knowledge and demographic or farm-level factors. Only 53.3% of the farmers were aware of AMR. Male farmers, those with tertiary education, and individuals who sourced drugs from professionals had significantly higher awareness (p<0.05). Preventive practices such as parasite control (92.9%) and deworming (80.7%) were widely adopted, while only 14.6% reported vaccinating their animals. Although 91.9% claimed to follow veterinary recommendations, only 4.3% consistently documented antimicrobial use. Significant associations with AMR knowledge were observed for education level, sex, farming system, source of drugs, record keeping, and method of drug container disposal (p<0.05). The study found moderate awareness of AMR among farmers, with notable gaps in knowledge, antimicrobial stewardship, and preventive health practices. Efforts to improve farmer education, strengthen veterinary access, and promote responsible antimicrobial use are crucial in addressing AMR in livestock systems. These findings underscore the need for targeted farmer education and improved veterinary services in Soroti.