Mosquito-borne alphaviruses in Zambia: Isolation and characterization of Eilat and Sindbis viruses.

Alphaviruses in the family Togaviridae include zoonotic arthropod-borne viruses, including Sindbis virus (SINV), chikungunya virus, as well as insect-specific viruses such as Eilat virus (EILV). Previous investigations of alphaviruses in Zambia have identified a novel insect-specific alphavirus, Mwinilunga alphavirus in mosquitoes. Further ongoing surveillance resulted in the isolation of EILV and SINV for the first time in Zambia.

Bacteriological quality of fresh and processed black soldier fly larvae reared on chicken manure in Kitwe, Zambia.

Unlabelled: Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) have high nutrient content and are rapidly becoming an alternative protein source for animal feed. However, microbial contamination is a potential risk due to the environment in which they are reared. This study assessed the bacteriological quality of fresh and processed BSFL by comparing the processed BSFL using two traditional methods (oven-dried and sun-dried), on their effectiveness at reducing the bacterial load and further elucidated bacterial composition.

Development of a multiplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for differential detection of and by dipstick DNA chromatography.

Unlabelled: Although human tuberculosis (TB) caused by is clinically, pathologically, and radiologically indistinguishable from -caused TB, is innately resistant to pyrazinamide, a key first-line drug effective against . The rapid differentiation of these two biovars is therefore of high clinical and epidemiologic importance. Most current molecular tools in resource-limited settings identify mycobacteria only to the species (MTB) level.

Correction: Moonga et al. Application of a Sensitive Capture Sequencing Approach to Reservoir Surveillance Detects Novel Viruses in Zambian Wild Rodents. 2024, , 1754.

The authors wish to make the following correction to this paper [...

First identification and whole genome characterization of rotavirus C in pigs in Zambia.

Rotavirus C (RVC) causes acute gastroenteritis in neonatal piglets. Despite the clinical importance of RVC infection, the distribution and prevalence in pig populations in most African countries remains unknown. In this study, we identified RVC in Zambian pigs by metagenomic analysis.

Exploring the Use of Ambientally Stored Methylene Diphosphonate Radiopharmaceutical Aliquots in Solving Challenging Situations in Developing Countries.

 The primary aim was to evaluate the prolonged quality characteristics of methyl diphosphonate (MDP) aliquots during ambient storage over a specified duration. This study further investigated potential additives that could enhance the stability of MDP aliquots stored under such conditions.  This was a laboratory-based experimental study conducted at the University Teaching Adult Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia.

African lineage 1a West Nile virus isolated from crocodiles exhibits low neuroinvasiveness in mice.

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that causes encephalitis in humans and infects crocodiles, resulting in rashes and neurological signs. In Zambia, two distinct lineages of WNV have been detected in neighbouring areas: lineage 2 in mosquitoes and lineage 1a in farmed crocodiles. Considering the risk of direct or vector-mediated WNV transmission from crocodiles to mammals, it is necessary to elucidate the pathogenicity of WNV strains derived from crocodiles.

Development of a seroepidemiological tool for bat-borne and shrew-borne hantaviruses and its application using samples from Zambia.

Background: Rodent-borne orthohantaviruses are the causative agents of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Apart from the classic rodent-borne hantaviruses, numerous species of hantaviruses have been identified in shrews and bats; however, their antigenicity and pathogenicity are unknown. This study focused on developing a serological method to detect antibodies against bat- and shrew-borne hantaviruses.

A first report of rotavirus B from Zambian pigs leading to the discovery of a novel VP4 genotype P[9].

Background: Rotavirus B (RVB) causes diarrhea in humans and pigs. Although various RVB strains were identified in humans and various animals globally, little is known about the epidemiology RVB infection in Africa. In this study, we attempted to examine the prevalence of RVB infection in pig populations in Zambia.

EsxA, a type VII secretion system-dependent effector, reveals a novel function in the sporulation of Bacillus cereus ATCC14579.

Background: Bacillus cereus is a Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium that produces a spectrum of effectors integral to bacterial niche adaptation and the development of various infections. Among those is EsxA, whose secretion depends on the EssC component of the type VII secretion system (T7SS). EsxA's roles within the bacterial cell are poorly understood, although postulations indicate that it may be involved in sporulation.

Pan-genome analysis reveals novel chromosomal markers for multiplex PCR-based specific detection of Bacillus anthracis.

Background: Bacillus anthracis is a highly pathogenic bacterium that can cause lethal infection in animals and humans, making it a significant concern as a pathogen and biological agent. Consequently, accurate diagnosis of B. anthracis is critically important for public health.

Ubiquitin accumulation induced by the finger and palm sub-domains of NS5 modulates the replication of West Nile virus.

West Nile virus (WNV) causes encephalitis in human and animals. WNV is phylogenetically classified into at least five distinct genetic lineages with different pathogenicity. The pathogenesis of West Nile encephalitis is affected by ubiquitin accumulation in infected cells, but the mechanism is unknown.

Genomic Analysis of Strains Resistant to Second-Line Anti-Tuberculosis Drugs in Lusaka, Zambia.

The emergence of pre-extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (pre-XDR-TB) is a threat to TB control programs in developing countries such as Zambia. Studies in Zambia have applied molecular techniques to understand drug-resistance-associated mutations, circulating lineages and transmission patterns of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) . However, none has reported genotypes and mutations associated with pre-XDR TB.

Surveillance, Isolation, and Genetic Characterization of Bat Herpesviruses in Zambia.

Bats are of significant interest as reservoirs for various zoonotic viruses with high diversity. During the past two decades, many herpesviruses have been identified in various bats worldwide by genetic approaches, whereas there have been few reports on the isolation of infectious herpesviruses. Herein, we report the prevalence of herpesvirus infection of bats captured in Zambia and genetic characterization of novel gammaherpesviruses isolated from striped leaf-nosed bats ).

Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Isolated from Chickens and Humans in Wau, South Sudan.

Background: infections are a public health problem across the globe. In South Sudan, there is little information regarding the prevalence and antibiotic resistance patterns of . Therefore, this study assessed the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates from chickens and humans in South Sudan.

Determination of the Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance of and Associated with Poultry in Four Districts in Zambia.

The presence of antimicrobial-resistant in poultry is a growing public health concern worldwide due to its potential for transmission to humans. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and patterns of antimicrobial resistance and to detect drug-resistant genes in and in poultry from four districts in Zambia. Identification of was conducted using phenotypic methods.

Genome Sequence of a Clinical Isolate of the Human Pathogenic Strain " Borrelia fainii" Qtaro.

We report sequences of the complete linear chromosome and five linear plasmids of the relapsing fever spirochete " Borrelia fainii" Qtaro. The chromosome sequence of 951,861 bp and the 243,291 bp of plasmid sequences were predicted to contain 852 and 239 protein-coding genes, respectively. The predicted total GC content was 28.