ABSTRACT The co-existence of under nutrition and over nutrition in the same country (double burden) is a global public health challenge that is becoming a problem in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, little information is available on this trend in Kenya and more so in the urban poor. The purpose of the study was to assess the nutritional status of children under-five years of age living in Mlolongo informal settlement and the caregiver feeding practices and Socio-economic factors that influence t...
ABSTRACT Malaria, a blood parasitic disease is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity particularly among children and pregnant women because they are most at risk in many developing countries, especially those in Sub-Saharan Africa. Most of the deaths due to malaria could be averted if care-takers recognized the signs and symptoms of malaria and instituted appropriate measures without delay. Early recognition followed by correct management is a key strategy for malaria control in endemic...
ABSTRACT Healthcare workers are at risk of medical sharps injuries, which according to the Kenya national policy on injection safety, 58% of healthcare workers have suffered these injuries. This study was conducted with the aim of establishing occupational risk factors contributing to injury by medical sharps among healthcare workers at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya. The objectives of this study were to; determine the frequency and severity of injuries from medical sharps; assess...
ABSTRACT Mangrove forests have been destroyed as a result of human activities and this is a threat to the mangrove ecosystem and the living things depending on them. Research on the current status, utilization, succession and zonation of mangrove ecosystem was conducted along Mida Creek, Coast Province, Kenya from September 2009 to February 2010. Objectives were to: assess the changes in the floristic composition of the mangrove forest; identify the most preferred mangrove species; investiga...
ABSTRACT Prostatism refers to obstruction of the bladder neck due to an enlargement of the prostate as men age leading to urinary difficulties. Prostatism symptoms are majorly irritative and obstructive. The obstructive ones include hesitancy, the need to initiate micturition and a weakened urinary stream while the irritative ones which are usually more troublesome to patients includes urgency, frequency as well as nocturia. The study sought to assess the health seeking behavior with regards ...
ABSTRACT The use of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) is increasing globally, especially in developing countries. Indeed, over 80% of the population in developing countries depends on traditional medicine. In Kenya, traditional medicine especially herbal medicine is widely used with over 70% of population having been reported to be dependent on it for primary health care. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the growing use of traditional medicines, both in developed an...
ABSTRACT Diabetes mellitus is a condition characterized by chronic hyperglycemia with disturbances of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism resulting from defects in insulin secretion, action or both. Type 2 Diabetes mellitus accounts for 85% of all diabetic cases making it a common and growing health problem with significant mortality and morbidity including foot problems such as neuropathy, ulceration, infection and amputation. Prevention and prophylactic foot care have been advocated ...
ABSTRACT Globally, there are an estimated 247 million malaria cases and 3.3 billion people at risk. In Kenya an estimated 11.3 million malaria cases have been reported with 27,000 deaths due to malaria. Long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) are advocated by World Health Organisation (WHO) for protection against malaria. In Kenya the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) distributed 7.1 million insecticide treated nets (ITNs) in 2006, of which 6.3 million were LLINs. Within Kisumu di...
Abstract Adherence to treatment and satisfaction with the quality of services is crucial in achieving optimal antiretroviral therapy (ART) outcomes. However, available evidence indicated that in sub-Saharan Africa only 77% of clients adhered to the recommended level of at least 95% that is needed to keep the viral load in the body at undetectable levels. On the other hand, the challenges of health management, infrastructure and technology continued to compromise the quality of health in Kenya...
ABSTRACT Despite its many advantages, the benefits of breast milk have been widely unknown to mothers. In many of the world‟s developing countries, water and other liquids are added to the baby‟s diet in the first months of life risking infection from harmful bacteria and other pathogens. In Kenya only 13% of children below six months are exclusively breastfed. High infant mortality rates associated with diarrhoea, acute respiratory infections and poor responses to vaccinations result fro...
ABSTRACT Malaria is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Parasite resistance to current antimalarials and resistance of Anopheline mosquitoes to insecticides have hampered control and elimination of malaria. Over the past twenty years, many vaccine candidates have been under development but none has advanced to clinical trials due to lack of appropriate adjuvant for human use. A vaccine inducing high levels of Immunoglobulin M (IgM), total IgG (or IgG1, IgG2, and ...
ABSRACT Trichoderma species have been widely reported worldwide as biocontrol agents of plant pathogens and growth promoters. Trichoderma asperellum has been fronted as a biocontrol agent of root-knot nematodes on tomato and French beans in Kenya. However research on the effect of T. asperellum on nodulation particularly in French beans is still lacking. Therefore there is a need to determine the effect of Trichoderma spp. on nodulation. A negative effect could counter the positive effect sin...
ABSTRACT Every year there are approximately 1.5 billion acute diarrhoea episodes and 4 million deaths in children less than five years of age (most from 6 months to 12 months). Acute diarrhoea accounts for approximately 7% of all paediatric admissions in the under 5 age group. Appropriate secondary prevention would reduce these deaths considerably however, studies done in resource rich and poor settings confirm that the management of this common illness by health professionals remains sub-opt...
ABS TRACT Recurrent rainfall inconsistency experienced across Kenya brings about a reduction in crop production that relies on rain fed agriculture. Nairobi peri-urban farmers have turned to irrigate their residential plots using untreated sewage water. A study was done on P.vulgaris (red haricot beans) and V. unguiculata (cowpeas) between Nov. 2009 and Jan. 2010 in Ruai – Nairobi County. The general objective of the study was to investigate levels of heavy metals: (cadmium (Cd), copper(Cu)...
Abstract Human Immunodeficiency Virus is predominantly transmitted in most parts of the world via heterosexual contact in men and women. The most urgently needed intervention is an effective vaccine(s) and microbiocides to prevent the vaginal transmission of HIV, as majority of women now in Africa acquired new infections through heterosexual route. Heterosexual transmission of HIV accounts for over 85% of all transmissions. The specific objectives of the study were to establish if Simian...