Browsing by Author "Budambula, Nancy L. M."

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    Detection and Profiling of Antibiotic Resistance among Culturable Bacterial Isolates in Vended Food and Soil Samples
    (Hindawi, 2020-09) Muriuki, Susan W.; Neondo, Johnstone O.; Budambula, Nancy L. M.
    The emergence and persistence of antibiotic resistance remain formidable health challenges. This study aimed at detecting and profiling antibiotic resistance of bacterial contaminants in vended food and the environment. Seventy antibiotic-resistant bacterial isolates were isolated from fried fish, African sausages, roasted meat, smokies, samosa, chips (potato fries), vegetable salads, and soil samples collected from Embu Town and Kangaru Market in Embu County, Kenya. The antibiotic susceptibility test, morphological and biochemical characterization, antibiosis assay, polymerase chain reaction-based detection of antibiotic resistance genes, and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene were done. Analysis of variance on all measured data was done, and Tukey’s honest test was used to compare and separate mean diameters of zones inhibition. Resistance of bacterial isolates to antibiotics was chloramphenicol (90%), cefotaxime (84.29%), nalidixic acid (81.43%), tetracycline (77.14%), amoxicillin (72.86%), gentamycin (48.57%), streptomycin (32.86%), and trimethoprim + sulphamethoxazole (30%). Isolate KMP337, Salmonella spp., exhibited highly significant antibiosis against S. aureus recording a mean inhibition diameter and standard error (SE) of 16.33 ± 0.88 mm, respectively, at . The 70 bacterial isolates belonged to Bacillus, Paraclostridium, Lysinibacillus, Virgibacillus, and Serratia genera. The study isolated Bacillus wiedmannii (KC75) which is a risk group 2 as well as Serratia marcescens (KMP95) and Bacillus anthracis (KS606) which are risk group 3 organisms. The presence of antibiotic resistance genes Tet A, BlaTEM, StrB, Dfr A, Amp, and FloR genes was confirmed by a polymerase chain reaction. Samples from Kangaru Market recorded a higher (88.57%) proportion of resistant isolates as compared to isolates from Embu Town (11.43%). The study confirmed the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in vended fast food and the soil in Embu Town and Kangaru Market. This study calls for continuous monitoring of bacterial status and hygienic handling of vended food.
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    HIV Virologic Failure among Patients with Persistent Low-Level Viremia in Nairobi, Kenya: It Is Time to Review the >1000 Virologic Failure Threshold
    (Hindawi, 2023-04-27) Nzivo, Mirriam M.; Waruhiu, Cecilia N.; Kang’ethe, James M.; Budambula, Nancy L. M.
    Persistent low-level viremia (PLLV) of 200-999 copies/ml has been reported as a risk factor for HIV virologic failure (VF). This retrospective study was aimed at characterizing patients with PLLV, determining factors associated with VF, and determining the effect of regimen change. Data were extracted from electronic medical records for HIV care and treatment. Patients’ characteristics (N = 705) were as follows: a mean age of 42 years, majority female (55%), and 51% married. A majority (78.7%) had a history of opportunistic infections in their ART lifetime. To determine factors associated with VF, 187 records on patients who maintained PLLV and 12 on deceased patients at the time of data review were eliminated from the analysis, leaving 506 patient records. Out of the 506, 89% (451/506) suppressed VL to nondetectable levels while 11% (55/506) had VF, and the difference was significant (P = 0:0001). Virologic failure was significantly associated with ages 10-30 years (P < 0:05). Baseline VL ≥ 1000 (OR 3.929; P = 0:002) and 200-999 copies/ml (OR 4.062; P = 0:004) were associated with VF. During PLLV, factors associated with VF included the following: PLLV of 200-999 copies/ml (P < 0:05), viral blips (OR 4.545; P = 0:0001), mean maximum VL (P < 0:05), and age (P = 0:043). Married marital status was inversely associated with VF (OR 0.318; P = 0:026). Regimen change was not significantly associated with virologic outcomes. However, patients who switched regimens to the second line had a high risk of VF (P = 0:028; OR 3.203). Regimen change was significantly high (P < 0:05) among adolescents and patients with a start regimen of 2NRTI+1NNRTI. Most of the PLLV patients (89%) achieved nondetectable VL after their continued ART monitoring for at least 12 months. Therefore, PLLV was not an indicator of VF. However, a consistent VL of ≥200-999 copies/ml at baseline and more than 12 months of ART care and treatment were significantly associated with VF. Patients with VL 200-999 copies/ml, adolescents, and young adults require intensive ART monitoring and support.
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    Phenotypic Diversity of Doum Palm (Hyphaene compressa), a Semi-Domesticated Palm in the Arid and Semi-Arid Regions of Kenya
    (Hindawi, 2020-12-29) Budambula, Nancy L. M.; Neondo, Johnstone; Gituru, Robert; Mweu, Cecilia; Omire, Agnes
    Hyphaene compressa is an economically important palm in Africa. Despite its significant role in the livelihoods of rural communities, the diversity of doum palm is poorly documented and studied. In addition, it has no model descriptor that can aid such studies. Ninety H. compressa accessions collected from Northern, Eastern, and Coastal regions of Kenya were examined to determine the morphological variability of the vegetative and fruit traits of H. compressa and to identify its morphotypes for improvement. A total of 19 morphological characters including seven quantitative and 12 qualitative traits of fruit and vegetative traits were selected. Linear mixed-effects models, principal component analysis, and linear discriminant analyses were used to assess the variation in the morphological traits of doum palm based on the regions. Hierarchical clustering was performed to identify the morphotypes of H. compressa. )ere was variability in H. compressa morphological traits, particularly at the Kenyan Coast. All seven quantitative traits were able to effectively discriminate doum palm phenotypically (p ≤ 0.001). )e 90 accessions clustered into five morphotypes designated as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Morphotype 4 was specific only to the Coastal region. Morphotype 5 had the tallest trees with the biggest fruits and included palms from Eastern and Coastal regions making it the best morphotype for fruit traits. )is study will inform the domestication, improvement, and conservation of H. compressa by selecting elite accessions.