https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/295 2026-04-08T12:24:27Z https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6647 Title: Theileria parva genetics, prevalence and vaccination practices in Zimbabwe and the African region and the prospects for vaccine development: a systematic review Authors: Daniel Mukandabvute; Noah Herbert Paul; Songwe Fanuel; Maud Chipatiko; Liana-Lisa Sakwa; Nyasha Chin’ombe; Leonard Madzingaidzo Abstract: Introduction January disease causes the deaths of over 55,000 cattle valued at approximately US$ 17 million annually in Zimbabwe. The locally developed Boleni stabilate vaccine is in use for controlling the disease. In the present review, we show the current knowledge of the genetic variation and population structure of Theileria parva parasite and its implications on the epidemiology and control of the parasite in eastern and southern Africa, with a major emphasis on Zimbabwe. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z Daniel Mukandabvute Noah Herbert Paul Songwe Fanuel Maud Chipatiko Liana-Lisa Sakwa Nyasha Chin’ombe Leonard Madzingaidzo https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6099 Title: Assessing plant utilisation by communities bordering a protected area in Zimbabwe using utilitarian diversity metrics Authors: G. M. Dowo; S. Kativu; M. De Garine-Witchatitsky Abstract: Protected areas and their peripheries harbour biodiverse ecosystems which underpin ecosystem service provision to local communities. Understanding the relationship between the species contained within these ecosystems and the utilitarian services they provide is important. However, there is a shortage of quantitative methods for assessing species’ utilitarian roles. We used a dendrogram-based method to quantify utilitarian diversity and an ordination method to determine co-occurrences in three sites at the periphery of Gonarezhou National Park, in Zimbabwe. The use categories for the plants were determined using household questionnaire surveys, and vegetation data was collected via standard plotless sampling techniques. There was higher plant diversity in the sites adjacent to the protected area, i.e. Malipati communal area (S = 45; Simpson’s index = 0.7271) and Gonakudzingwa farms (S = 50; Simpson’s index = 0.9351), with the lowest diversity recorded at the site far from the park, i.e. Chomupani communal area (S = 25; Simpson’s index = 0.6305). Utilitarian diversity was also highest in the areas adjacent to the protected area, with Malipati and Gonakudzingwa having values of 22.2 and 21.4, respectively, while Chomupani attained 20.6. A principal component analysis ordination indicated which utilitarian species occurred in the same areas. Our results contribute to plant conservation by highlighting the utilitarian relationships of species at protected area peripheries. This allows planners and conservationists to set conservation priorities to avoid losing species that contribute the most to ecosystem service provision. 2024-03-22T00:00:00Z G. M. Dowo S. Kativu M. De Garine-Witchatitsky https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6010 Title: Plasmodium immunotherapy combined with gemcitabine has a synergistic inhibitory effect on tumor growth and metastasis in murine Lewis lung cancer models Authors: Xiao Chen; Zhu Tao; Yun Liang; Meng Ma; Dickson Adah; Wenting Ding; Lili Chen; Xiaofen Li; Linglin Dai; Songwe Fanuel; Siting Zhao; Wen Hu; Donghai Wu; Ziyuan Duan; Fang Zhou; Li Qin; Xiaoping Chen; Zhaoqing Yang Editors: Qun Xue Abstract: Objective: Our previous studies have demonstrated that Plasmodium immunotherapy (infection) has antitumor effects in mice. However, as a new form of immunotherapy, this therapy has a weakness: its specific killing effect on tumor cells is relatively weak. Therefore, we tested whether Plasmodium immunotherapy combined with gemcitabine (Gem), a representative chemotherapy drug, has synergistic antitumor effects. Methods: We designed subcutaneously and intravenously implanted murine Lewis lung cancer (LLC) models to test the antitumor effect of Plasmodium chabaudi ASS (Pc) infection in combination with Gem treatment and explored its underlying mechanisms. Results: We found that both Pc infection alone and Gem treatment alone significantly inhibited tumor growth in the subcutaneous model, and combination therapy was more effective than either monotherapy. Monotherapy only tended to prolong the survival of tumor-bearing mice, while the combination therapy significantly extended the survival of mice, indicating a significant synergistic effect of the combination. In the mechanistic experiments, we found that the combination therapy significantly upregulated E-cadherin and downregulated Snail protein expression levels, thus inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of tumor cells, which may be due to the blockade of CXCR2/TGF-β-mediated PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β signaling pathway. Conclusion: The combination of Pc and Gem plays a synergistic role in inhibiting tumor growth and metastasis, and prolonging mice survival in murine lung cancer models. These effects are partially attributed to the inhibition of EMT of tumor cells, which is potentially due to the blockade of CXCR2/TGF-β-mediated PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β/Snail signaling pathway. The clinical transformation of Plasmodium immunotherapy combined with Gem for lung cancer is worthy of expectation. 2023-10-17T00:00:00Z Xiao Chen Zhu Tao Yun Liang Meng Ma Dickson Adah Wenting Ding Lili Chen Xiaofen Li Linglin Dai Songwe Fanuel Siting Zhao Wen Hu Donghai Wu Ziyuan Duan Fang Zhou Li Qin Xiaoping Chen Zhaoqing Yang https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5653 Title: High Prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus Infection Among People With HIV in Rural and Periurban Communities in Botswana Authors: Sharon R Mutenga; Bonolo B Phinius; Motswedi Anderson; Irene Gobe; Margaret Mokomane; Wonderful T Choga; Gorata Mpebe; Molly Pretorius-Holme; Rosemary Musonda; Tendani Gaolathe; Mompati Mmalane; Roger Shapiro; Joseph Makhema; Shahin Lockman; Vlad Novitsky; Max Essex; Sikhulile Moyo; Simani Gaseitsiwe Abstract: Background,We aimed to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among people with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH) in rural and periurban communities in Botswana.Methods.PWH from a previous population-based study, the Botswana Prevention Combination Project, which enrolled adults in 30 communities across Botswana (2013–2018), were screened for HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) and HBV core antibody (anti-HBc). HBsAg-positive (HBsAg+) samples were further screened for HBV core immunoglobulin M antibodies (anti-HBc immunoglobulin M [IgM]) and HBV e antigen (HBeAg). We quantified HBV viral load on participants who tested positive (n = 148) and negative for HBsAg (n = 381). Results.Of 3304 participants tested, 271 (8% [95% confidence interval {CI}, 7%–9%]) were HBsAg+ while 1788 (56% [95% CI, 54%–57%]) of 3218 PWH whom we tested had positive anti-HBc. Approximately 88% of HBsAg+ participants were on antiretroviral therapy (ART), 40% and 56% of whom were receiving lamivudine- and tenofovir-containing ART, respectively. Male sex (relative risk ratio [RRR], 1.8 [95% CI, 1.2–2.7]) and the northern geographic region (RRR, 2.5 [95% CI, 1.4–4.7]) were independent predictors of HBV infection (HBsAg+). Of 381 persons with negative HBsAg who were tested for occult HBV, 126 (33% [95% CI, 29%–38%]) had positive HBV DNA. Eleven participants were highly viremic with high HBV viral load while on a lamivudine- or tenofovir-containing regimen. Ten (91%) of these participants also had positive HBeAg serology, while 4 (36%) had positive anti-HBc IgM serology. Conclusions.The prevalence of HBV was high among PWH in Botswana while on ART regimens with activity against HBV. 2023-01-06T00:00:00Z Sharon R Mutenga Bonolo B Phinius Motswedi Anderson Irene Gobe Margaret Mokomane Wonderful T Choga Gorata Mpebe Molly Pretorius-Holme Rosemary Musonda Tendani Gaolathe Mompati Mmalane Roger Shapiro Joseph Makhema Shahin Lockman Vlad Novitsky Max Essex Sikhulile Moyo Simani Gaseitsiwe