Gold Collection

Spatial clustering of Giardia duodenalis assemblages and sub-assemblages with environmental and anthropozoonotic factors in Busia, Western Kenya

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Spatial clustering of Giardia duodenalis assemblages and sub-assemblages with environmental and anthropozoonotic factors in Busia, Western Kenya Were, Tom; Barasa, Erick; Indieka, Briston R; Wambani, Josephine; Maloba, Geofrey Ouma; Juma, Gerald; Songock, William; Kuradusenge, Philippe; Budambula, Valentine Background: Giardiasis is a common intestinal disease caused by the protozoan parasite Giardia duodenalis. The transmission of giardiasis is influenced by a complex interplay of environmental hazards such as contaminated water sources, markets, and/or roads or pathways including anthropozoonotic domestic animal-related factors and accessibility to healthcare. However, the risk factors of acquiring G. duodenalis including its assemblages and sub-assemblages have not been previously mapped in high burden populations in rural Africa. To mitigate transmission in rural African settings with special reference to Kenya, it is important to map out the clustering of the disease occurrence in relation to risk factors. Accordingly, this study evaluated geospatial clustering of G. duodenalis assemblages and sub-assemblages, in relation with environmental and domestic animal-related factors in Busia County, a rural setting of Western Kenya. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 147 human stools were microscopically and molecularly analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for G. duodenalis infection. A total of 88 human stool specimens positive for G. duodenalis deoxyribonucleic acid were genotyped at the glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) and triose-phosphate isomerase (tpi) loci using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Data on human and livestock population densities were obtained from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and incorporated into the geospatial analyses to explore their relationship with infection patterns. Distances from households to the nearest market, stream and/or river, road and/or pathway, and health facility were calculated and linked to geospatial clustering with the disease. Results: Overall, 59.9% of the human stool samples were positive for giardiasis in the sampled population. Geospatial clustering analyses indicated that giardiasis clustered with residing near a market (adjusted; aOR, 1.73), stream and/or river water source (aOR, 1.16), road (aOR, 1.74), an area with larger cattle (aOR, 1.83) or poultry (aOR, 1.36) densities (all P < 0.05). Likewise, assemblage A (aOR, 1.14 and 1.06) and sub-assemblage AII (aOR, 1.51 and 1.62) clustered with residing near stream and/or river water sources, and in localities with larger cattle density, respectively (all P < 0.05). Conversely, assemblage B (aOR, 1.87; 1.46; and 2.98) clustered with distance to the road, including cattle and poultry densities (P < 0.05 to P < 0.01). Furthermore, sub-assemblages BIII (aOR, 2.04 and 1.22) clustered with distance to the road and cattle densities, while BIV (aOR, 1.62) clustered with poultry densities (P < 0.05 to P < 0.01). Conclusion: Giardia duodenalis assemblage A and B including sub-assemblages AII, BIII, and BIV infections cluster differentially with residence at the nearest stream and/or river water source, market or road or within areas with larger cattle or poultry densities. In contrast, the absence of such environmental and domestic animal-related risk factors may represent areas that are relatively less affected by giardiasis. While we did not explicitly designate "low-risk" zones, the spatial clustering patterns suggest that environments with limited human-animal-environmental interface pressures are less conducive to giardiasis transmission.

Giardia Duodenalis Glutamate Dehydrogenase and Triose-Phosphate Isomerase Pcr-Rflp Genotyping Efficiency and Parasite Density

Sun, 17 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Giardia Duodenalis Glutamate Dehydrogenase and Triose-Phosphate Isomerase Pcr-Rflp Genotyping Efficiency and Parasite Density Barasa, Erick; Juma, Gerald; Shaviya, Nathan; Kuradusenge, Philippe; Ng’etich, Emily; Okinyi, Vivian; Sigei, Erolls; Soita, Kevin; Indieka, Briston; Were, Tom Background. Giardia duodenalis is an intestinal protozoan parasite, with human infections predominantly caused by assemblages A and B. Genotyping of G. duodenalis infections commonly relies on GDH and TPI gene targets using PCR- RFLP and sequencing approaches, which are widely applied across diverse epidemiological settings. However, the performance and discriminatory power of these molecular tools can vary depending on parasite density, DNA quality, and the infecting assemblage, with assemblage B often demonstrating higher genetic heterogeneity. As such this study evaluates the effectiveness of GDH- and TPI- PCR-RFLP in characterizing G. duodenalis in relation to parasite density in patients with giardiasis at Busia county referral hospital, Kenya. Methodology This hospital-based cross-sectional study was done at Busia County Referral Hospital from 2017 to 2020. A total of 147 patients referred to the clinical laboratory for stool analysis were recruited into the study. Genomic DNA was isolated from stool samples of 88 patients who tested positive for G. duodenalis by microscopic examination. The isolates were genotyped at the GDH and TPI gene loci using a semi-nested PCR-RFLP technique. Genotyping agreement between the GDH and TPI gene loci was analysed using Cohen's kappa statistics. Whereas parasite density were compared across the assemblages and sub-assemblages by Kruskal wallis and post hot dunnes analysis.

Strategies in communicating COVID-19 crisis in Kenya: the role of an effective health campaign framework among populations in urban informal settlements

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Strategies in communicating COVID-19 crisis in Kenya: the role of an effective health campaign framework among populations in urban informal settlements Mudogo, Benard; Barasa, David; Omuteche, Jairus The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges across the world. One of these challenges relates to the communication of COVID-19 messages due to the complexities of health communication, especially among vulnerable people living in urban slum areas. Using data from populations in Kenya’s urban informal settlements, this paper investigates stakeholders’ capacities, successes and challenges in communicating health crisis messages. The data are drawn from people living in Majengo and Makaburini informal settlements in Kakamega town, Western Kenya. The findings indicate that lack of structured crisis communication has hampered the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among people living in urban informal settlements where essential social amenities are limited. We also use the collected data to describe how a crisis communication model, adapted from Kaplan and Norton’s (Strategy Leadersh 32(5):10–17, 2004) strategy map can be customized to enhance effectiveness of health communication campaigns. The implications of this strategy serve to broaden both theory and practice of healthcare crisis communication and provide insights into ways to strengthen the quality of crisis emergency communication response.

Examination of the Effects of Imprisonment on Recidivism: A Review of Kisumu County, Kenya

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Examination of the Effects of Imprisonment on Recidivism: A Review of Kisumu County, Kenya Wanyama, Timothy Vitalis; Oruta, Evans M.; Onyango, Erick Ater High rates of recidivism continue to challenge the effectiveness of CZimprisonment as a tool for criminal rehabilitation and public safety in Kenya. In Kisumu County, a growing number of former inmates find themselves re-entering the prison system, raising questions about the role of incarceration in breaking the cycle of crime. This study examines the effects of imprisonment on recidivism rates. This study employed a mixed-methods research design, which enabled the integration of quantitative and qualitative data to comprehensively examine the effects of imprisonment on recidivism in Kisumu County. Data were collected from 700 ex-convicts, 85 prison officers, and 15 probation officers using structured questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis. Quantitative findings revealed that 62% of ex-prisoners were re-arrested within three years, while only 18% had access to consistent rehabilitation programmes during incarceration. Additionally, 76% of recidivists cited unemployment and social stigma as major barriers to reintegration. The qualitative data supported these findings, highlighting overcrowded prison conditions, limited vocational training, and insufficient post-release support as key contributors to reoffending. The study concludes that imprisonment in its current form often fails to rehabilitate offenders and instead contributes to a cycle of repeat offending. It recommends increased investment in community-based rehabilitation, expansion of vocational programmes within prisons, and the establishment of structured reintegration frameworks to reduce recidivism and promote social reintegration.