Isolation,identification and associated risk factors of non‐tuberculous mycobacteria infection in humans and dromedary camels in Samburu County,Kenya

Non‐tuberculous mycobacteria are of public health significance, and zoonotic infection is attributed to the sociocultural practice of consumption of raw milk and the close human–livestock contact in pastoral communities. This study aimed at isolation, identification of mycobacteria from human sputum and camel milk and risk factors assessment in Samburu East, Kenya. Six hundred and twelve camels and 48 people presumed to have tuberculosis (TB) from 86 households in Wamba and Waso regions were screened. Camels were categorized into Somali, Turkana and Rendile breeds. Single intradermal comparative tuberculin test (SICTT) was used as a herd‐screening test on lactating camels and a milk sample collected from reactive camels. Sputum samples were collected from eligible members of participating households. A standard questionnaire on possible risk factors for both humans and camels was administered to respective household heads or their representatives. Total camel skin test reactors were 238/612 (38.9%). Milk and sputum samples were analysed at KEMRI/TB research laboratory for microscopy, GeneXpert^®, culture and identification. Isolates were identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing at Inqaba biotec in South Africa. Sixty‐four isolates were acid‐fast bacilli (AFB) positive of which M. fortuitum (3), M. szulgai (20), M. monacense (5), M. lehmanni (4), M. litorale (4), M. elephantis (3), M. duvalii (3), M. brasiliensis (1), M. arcueilense (1) and M. lentiflavum (1) were from milk; M. fortuitum (1), M. szulgai (2) and M. litorale (1) were from humans. Risk factors included the following: Turkana breed (OR = 3.4; 95% CI: 1.2–9.3), replacements from outside the County (OR = 2.1; 95% CI: 0.3–12.3), presence of other domestic species (small stock; OR = 4.6) and replacement from within the herd (OR = 3.2; 95% CI: 0.7–14.7). Zoonotic risk practices included raw milk consumption, shared housing and handling camels. Monitoring of zoonotic NTM through surveillance and notification systems is required.     

Second-order cybernetics as a tool to understand why pastoralists do what they do

The notion that pastoralists are irrational managers due to strong adherence to tradition and culture is still common in livestock production sciences. Researchers and development practitioners tend to fall back on this notion when target groups do not adopt their proposed innovations without any obvious reason. It is however difficult to identify innovations that fit into resource-poor systems, and often this lack of fit is the reason why innovations are not taken up. Understanding why pastoralists do what they do, and learning about the constraints they face when regulating production processes, is a prerequisite for identifying viable improvement possibilities.This study focuses on understanding the reasoning behind pastoralists’ actions. The knowledge underlying pastoralists’ regulation of production processes is analysed with a method based on second-order cybernetics that offers insight in the system view of the actors in the system. It uses feedback and control principles of cybernetics to understand human control in human activity systems. For analysis purposes, a control loop model is proposed to systematically assess, for each management practice, the livestock keepers’ observations and the rules upon which they base their actions.This cybernetic knowledge analysis is illustrated using the example of milk offtake management in a pastoral camel production system in northern Kenya. The example is chosen because lack of knowledge on the complex milk offtake management led to the widespread preconception of poor pastoral management as the cause for high calf mortality.The cybernetic knowledge analysis reveals what livestock keepers consider as information in their production process, as well as the rules that inform their actions. The analysis enables to distinguish between management practices that serve as: (i) routine control; (ii) problem-solving control; or (iii) selection. This information is useful in transdisciplinary studies that involve local actors and other stakeholders in finding solutions to real-world problems. Through the proposed knowledge analysis methodology, scientists can learn about livestock keepers’ reasoning and problem-solving abilities, but also about aspects of the production processes where control is weak and new control possibilities are sought after. The analysis also yields information on how livestock keepers try to achieve their production goals despite restrictions and disturbances given by the production environment. This understanding is of high importance in low-external-input systems that have little scope to control production conditions but that do adapt to them.     

Gear-based management of a tropical artisanal fishery based on species selectivity and capture size

The population density, species composition and lengths of fish landed by artisanal fishermen using six types of gear: large and small traps, gill nets, hand lines, spears and beach seines were studied in the multi‐species fishery of southern Kenya. Selectivity and catch composition among gears were determined by studying the species richness, diversity, size and mean trophic level of the catches for each gear type, to develop gear‐based management recommendations for this artisanal reef lagoon fishery. One hundred and sixty‐three reef and reef‐associated species from 37 families were recorded in the catch. Beach seines and small traps accounted for the highest number of fish landed (34–35 individuals per fisherman per day). These gears also caught smaller fish than big traps, spears and gill nets. Beach seines caught the highest number of species (14 ± 7 species per day) while most other gears caught four to five species per day with no differences between gears. Predatory species with a mean trophic level of 3.6 dominated catches from hand lines, while the mean trophic level of the other gears was low and ranged from 2.6 to 2.9 with no differences between the gears. The high diversity and small size of fish caught in beach seines indicates that its selectivity overlapped most with large traps and gill nets. Spears and small traps also showed high similarity in species selectivity and small traps captured the smaller mean size of fish, indicating that they are likely to pre‐empt the resource of spears. Large traps, hand lines and spears catch the largest individuals and the species composition of the catch differed sufficiently such that their selectivity should overlap the least and may, therefore, be the preferred mix of gears. The elimination or reduction of beach seines and small traps should reduce the catch of small fish and overlap in selectivity among the existing gears.     

The effect of a closed area and beach seine exclusion on coral reef fish catches

Fish landing data from the Mombasa Marine National Park (MNP) and a marine reserve exploited by various gears were studied over a 5‐yr period to determine the influence of the closed area and different gears in fisheries. The number fishing and boats per landing site was constant, but total and catch per unit effort progressively declined in all sites on an annual basis irrespective of the existence of a marine reserve, exclusion of the beach seines or use of gear. Differences between landing sites were most pronounced when analysed on a catch per area as opposed to the more standard catch per fisherman, suggesting compensation in human effort when catches decline. A marine reserve next to a closed area that excluded beach seines had the highest catch per area (5.5 kg ha^?1 month^?1) despite having the highest density of fishermen (0.07 ± 0.02 fishermen ha^?1 month^?1). The annual rate of decline in the catch was lower than the other sites at around 250 g day^?1 compared with 310–400 g day^?1 in the other sites. One landing site, which excluded beach seine landings for more than 20 yrs, had a high catch per area (～5.3 kg ha^?1 month^?1), but after experiencing a doubling in the effort of other gears (line, speargun and trap), the catch per fisherman and area were reduced. Environmental or habitat degradation and excessive effort remain the most likely explanation for the overall declines in catch from 1995 to 1999. Closed areas and beach seine exclusion have the potential to increase catch rates, but the first often reduces the total fishing area and possibly leads to a loss of total catch, at least on a time scale of less than 10 yrs. The exclusion of beach seines can lead to an increase in other gear types that can also cause reductions in catch.     

Economic and Risk Analysis of Tilapia Production in Kenya

Commercial production of tilapia in Kenya has potential for expansion, but growth and development of the tilapia industry in Kenya will depend upon its profitability and the effect of associated risks. Data from pond experiments, on-farm trials, and farm surveys were used to develop enterprise budgets and a risk analysis for nine production scenarios. The nine scenarios include: 1) monoculture of sex-reversed male tilapia fed either rice bran, a pelleted experimental diet, or a pelleted pig finisher diet; 2) clarias monoculture fed with each of the three diets; and 3) tilapia-clarias (sex-reversed male fingerlings) polyculture fed with each of the three diets. Net returns/ha were highest for production with the pig finisher diet, with clarias in monoculture the highest followed by tilapia in monoculture and then the polyculture system. The lowest net returns/ha were obtained with clarias fed rice bran. Profitability was affected by feed cost and tilapia survival. Tilapia monoculture systems had lower probabilities of financial losses than either clarias monoculture or the polyculture system. Use of the pelleted diets also resulted in lower probabilities of financial losses. Lower yields from the rice bran feed scenario resulted in its greater sensitivity to fluctuating costs of rice bran and survival of tilapia.     

The choice of grass species to combat desertification in semi‐arid Kenyan rangelands is greatly influenced by their forage value for livestock

Livestock production is the main source of livelihood in the arid and semi‐arid lands in Africa. However, desertification characterized by vegetation degradation and soil erosion is a major threat to the sustainability of land‐based production systems. Native rangeland forage species Cenchrus ciliaris L. (Buffel grass/African foxtail grass), Eragrostis superba Peyr. (Maasai love grass) and Enteropogon macrostachyus (Hochst. Ex A. Rich.) Monro ex Benth. (Bush rye grass) have been used to combat desertification. The objectives of the study were to identify the best‐suited native grass species to combat desertification in a semi‐arid environment in Kenya and to identify the preferred grass species among the agropastoralists in the area. Percentage basal cover, plant densities and frequencies of the three grasses in pure stands and mixtures were estimated. Grass species preferences were through household survey and focus group discussion. Results showed a significant difference (P < 0·05) in plant densities and cover estimates: E. macrostachyus was ranked first; C. ciliaris and E. superba were ranked second and third respectively. The agropastoral farmers, however, preferred E. superba followed by C. ciliaris and E. macrostachyus, a reverse trend. These results suggest that the choice of grass species to combat desertification is influenced more by its contribution as a source of forage for livestock than its contribution for rehabilitation purposes.     

Interactions between wind and water erosion change sediment yield and particle distribution under simulated conditions

Wind and water erosion are among the most important causes of soil loss, and understanding their interactions is important for estimating soil quality and environmental impacts in regions where both types of erosion occur. We used a wind tunnel and simulated rainfall to study sediment yield, particle-size distribution and the fractal dimension of the sediment particles under wind and water erosion. The experiment was conducted with wind erosion firstly and water erosion thereafter, under three wind speeds(0, 11 and 14 m/s) and three rainfall intensities(60, 80 and 100 mm/h). The results showed that the sediment yield was positively correlated with wind speed and rainfall intensity(P<0.01). Wind erosion exacerbated water erosion and increased sediment yield by 7.25%–38.97% relative to the absence of wind erosion. Wind erosion changed the sediment particle distribution by influencing the micro-topography of the sloping land surface. The clay, silt and sand contents of eroded sediment were also positively correlated with wind speed and rainfall intensity(P<0.01). Wind erosion increased clay and silt contents by 0.35%–19.60% and 5.80%–21.10%, respectively, and decreased sand content by 2.40%–8.33%, relative to the absence of wind erosion. The effect of wind erosion on sediment particles became weaker with increasing rainfall intensities, which was consistent with the variation in sediment yield. However, particle-size distribution was not closely correlated with sediment yield(P>0.05). The fractal dimension of the sediment particles was significantly different under different intensities of water erosion(P<0.05), but no significant difference was found under wind and water erosion. The findings reported in this study implicated that both water and wind erosion should be controlled to reduce their intensifying effects, and the controlling of wind erosion could significantly reduce water erosion in this wind-water erosion crisscross region.     

Infectious pancreatic necrosis virus isolated from farmed rainbow trout and tilapia in Kenya is identical to European isolates

Infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) is an aquabirnavirus that causes serious diseases in a variety of fish species worldwide. It has been isolated from a large number of healthy fresh and marine water fish. Prior to this study, there was no record of the presence of IPNV infection in Kenya. Here, the presence of IPNV in farmed rainbow trout and tilapia was examined in Nyeri County of central Kenya. Head kidney samples taken from five rainbow trout and three tilapia farms and stored in RNALater^® were processed by PCR followed by sequencing of a segment A fragment covering nucleotide positions 2,120–2,343 bp. IPNV was detected in all the farms sampled with infection ratios ranging from 0.3 to 0.78 although the infections were not associated with any specific clinical signs of disease. These findings were supported by immunohistochemistry staining of the virus in the kidney and exocrine pancreas of rainbow trout. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Kenyan isolates were identical to European isolates, suggesting a common origin. These findings highlight the need for better biosecurity procedures with more stringent surveillance programmes and control for fish diseases, especially focusing on imported breeding materials to Kenya.     

肯尼亚与中国茶业比较

本文从植物遗传改良等因素比较了肯尼亚与中国的茶产业。中国茶区辽阔,生态条件多样化,各地分别适宜种植不同类型的茶树品种;而肯尼亚则受到较大制约。中国茶区分布在亚热带和温带的高海拔地区和平原地区,肯尼亚茶区则限于气温凉爽、雨量充沛而且降雨量分布均匀的高海拔地区。茶原产于中国,而且有数千年的茶树栽培历史。肯尼亚和中国两国的历史和气候条件不同,茶树品种的适应性亦有差异,种茶“传统”和生态条件使肯尼亚开发利用的茶树品种具有保守性,其茶树历史起源与印度类似。随着肯尼亚茶树品种的演变及挑战性的显现,有必要对其经验和教训进行回顾。本文同时概述了两国在茶产业管理结构、挑战性和茶树遗传改良的机遇,对两国在茶业技术及生物科学进步等有关信息交流等方面开展研讨。