Browsing by Author "Maina, Ngotho"

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    Engineering local Kenyan Irish potato varieties as carriers for edible cholera vaccines
    (Springer Nature, 2025-06-02) Siamalube, Beenzu; Ehinmitan,Emmanuel; Maina, Ngotho; Onguso,Justus; Runo,Steven
    Cholera is a major public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in low-resource areas where vaccine access is limited. Plant-based production of antigens, like the cholera toxin B subunit, presents a promising supplement for oral immunization. This study reviews the efciency of Agrobacterium tumefaciens gene-mediated transformation method in expressing antigenic proteins in three farmer preferred Kenyan Irish potato varieties: Wanjiku, Sherekea, and Shangi. Aimed at maximizing gene expression, facilitating a scalable production platform for potential edible vaccines. Genetically engineered Irish potatoes represent a transformative innovation at the intersection of agriculture and biotechnology, ofering a sustainable and cost-efective platform for vaccine production. Acting as bioreactors, transgenic Irish potatoes provide scalable, safe, and stable solutions to the challenges of traditional vaccine manufacturing, such as high costs, infrastructure demands, and dependency on cold chain logistics. Despite challenges like regulatory hurdles, public perception of genetically modifed organisms, and technical barriers in antigen expression, ongoing research and development hold promise for overcoming these obstacles. By harnessing the power of molecular farming, scientists can produce vaccines and therapeutic proteins in potatoes, ofering a near-user-site alternative to traditional production methods.
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    Plant-based Edible Vaccines: Can Cholera Be the Case Study in Africa?
    (Elsevier Inc, 2025-06) Beenzu, Siamalube; Ehinmitan,Emmanuel; Kachenga,Lupupa; Runo, Steven; Maina, Ngotho; Onguso,Justus
    Vaccines are employed as a sanitary approach that is implemented to lessen the hurdles caused by infectious diseases on the safety of public health. A vaccine is biologically made from inactive components of microbes, to enhance immunity and as a defense mechanism adverse to parasitic, bacterial and viral illnesses. Nonetheless, the mode of production that involves purification is quite costly, more so, to low and middle-income countries, especially in Africa. Conventional oral cholera vaccines, though commercially available, face logistical challenges to be transported and distributed to target populations such as Africa. Edible vaccines derived from plants, on the other hand, offer cost-effective and bio-friendly production cost, they are easily administered to all age groups and can be grown near-user-site. This article thoroughly assesses the capability of plant-based edible vaccines as an option for immunization against cholera with exclusive concentration on the African continent
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    Recent Trends of Vibrio cholerae: Global and Regional Incidences
    (2025) Siamalube,Beenzu; Ehinmitan,Emmanuel; Runo,Steven; Onguso,Justus; Maina, Ngotho
    Cholera is still with us! The foodborne/waterborne dis ease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae continues to pose a significant threat to the safety of public health glob ally (Mohammed et al., 2024). Despite various medical inter ventions such as the use of oral cholera vaccines (OCVs) (Zeitoun et al., 2024), hundreds of thousands of lives are lost annually worldwide to this virulent disease. Cholera mostly affects vulnerable populations in regions with inadequate access to clean water and sanitation (Bose et al., 2024). Recent outbreaks in parts of Asia (Nasr et al., 2024), Africa (Taty et al., 2024), and the Caribbean underscore the ongoing risk and the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to control its spread (Siamalube and Ehinmitan, 2024). This commentary aims to unravel the challenges caused by V. cholerae by exploring the global cholera inci dences and the multifaceted approaches required to combat this persistent pathogen
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    The Persistent Challenge of Cholera in Africa: A Complex Interplay of Factors
    (RPHB, 2024-12) Siamalube, Beenzu; Ehinmitan, Emmanuel; Runo, Steven; Onguso, Justus; Maina, Ngotho
    Cholera remains a formidable public health challenge across Africa, disproportionately impacting marginalized and vulnerable populations [1]. The disease's persistence underscores its multifaceted nature, rooted in more than just the biological characteristics of Vibrio cholerae. Instead, it reflects a complex interplay of environmental, social, economic, and systemic factors, each compounding the difficulty of effective prevention and control [1,2]. Africa continues to bear the highest burden of cholera globally, with recurring outbreaks that cause significant morbidity and mortality, often overwhelming already fragile healthcare systems [3]. The disease frequently strikes regions plagued by inadequate access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure [3,4]. These deficiencies create fertile ground for the bacterium's proliferation, particularly in densely populated urban slums and rural areas with limited public health outreach. Climate change further exacerbates the problem, with extreme weather events such as floods and droughts creating conditions conducive to cholera outbreaks [5].