Browsing by Author "Mwangi, J."

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    Evaluation of anti-microbial activity of some plants used by herbalists in central province, Kenya
    (2011-12-07) Gathu, L. W.; Okemo, P. O.; Mwangi, J.
    Herbal medicine is the use of plants and plant-based products to treat or prevent diseases. The traditional use of plants as a source of medicine still plays a major role in primary health care in Kenya today. The information on the use of these plants is often passed on from one generation to another through folk knowledge. Many of the plants still in use have neither been documented nor tested so as to confirm their efficacy. Six plants from different families, selected on the basis of their traditional medicinal uses in Central Province to treat diseases of infectious nature, were evaluated for antimicrobial activity. The plants screened were Psidium guajava L., Persea americana Mill, Acacia mearnsh De Wild, Thunbergia alata Sims, Ocimum suave Willd and Periploca linearifolia Dill and Rich The aqueous, chloroform and methanol extracts of these plants were screened for their antifungal and antibacterial activities using the agar-well diffusion method. Four plants exhibited moderate activity against the tested microorganisms. Only one of the plants, Acacia mearnsii De Wild exhibited activity against the fungus. There was a significant difference in activity (p < 0.05) between the aqueous and the methanol extracts and between aqueous and chloroform extracts. There was however no significant difference in activity between the methanol and the chloroform extracts (p > 0.05). Extracts from A. mearnsii were the most active and exhibited moderate activity against ten out of the eleven microorganisms that were tested. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of the active extracts were determined using the micro-broth dilution method. The MICs of the methanol extracts ranged from 0.1953 to 100 mg/ml while those of the aqueous extracts ranged from 0.09 to 50 mg/mL The methanolic extract of P. linearifolia was fractionated using vacuum liquid chromatography and three active fractions obtained. Inhibition zones obtained on thin layer chromatogram (bioautoassay) revealed that the fractions obtained from this extract have more than one active component. These results are an important reference that confirms the use of the plants for treatment of bacterial and fungal diseases.
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    Evaluation of surveillance for surgical site infections in Thika Hospital, Kenya.
    (2013-02) Wanyoro, A. K.; Aiken, A. M.; Mwangi, J.; Mulingwa, P.; Wanjohi, J.; Njoroge, J.; Juma, F.; Mugoya, I K; Scott, J. A. G.; Hall, A. J.
    BACKGROUND: In low-income countries, surgical site infections (SSIs) are a very frequent form of hospital-acquired infection. Surveillance is an important method for controlling SSI but it is unclear how this can best be performed in low-income settings. AIM: To examine the epidemiological characteristics of various components of an SSI surveillance programme in a single Kenyan hospital. METHODS: The study assessed the inter-observer consistency of the surgical wound class (SWC) and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) scores using the kappa statistic. Post-discharge telephone calls were evaluated against an outpatient clinician review 'gold standard'. The predictive value of components of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - National Healthcare Safety Network (CDC-NHNS) risk index was examined in patients having major obstetric or gynaecological surgery (O&G) between August 2010 and February 2011. FINDINGS: After appropriate training, surgeons and anaesthetists were found to be consistent in their use of the SWC and ASA scores respectively. Telephone calls were found to have a sensitivity of 70% [95% confidence interval (CI): 47-87] and a specificity of 100% (95% CI: 95-100) for detection of post-discharge SSI in this setting. In 954 patients undergoing major O&G operations, the SWC score was the only parameter in the CDC-NHNS risk index model associated with the risk of SSI (odds ratio: 4.00; 95% CI: 1.21-13.2; P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Surveillance for SSI can be conducted in a low-income hospital setting, although dedicated staff, intensive training and local modifications to surveillance methods are necessary. Surveillance for post-discharge SSI using telephone calls is imperfect but provides a practical alternative to clinic-based diagnosis. The SWC score was the only predictor of SSI risk in O&G surgery in this context.
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    Factors Influencing Participation of Men and Women in Informal Finance Groups in Gachagi Informal Settlement in Thika Sub-County, Kenya
    (Globeedu Group, 2015-01) Mwangi, J.; Kimani, Elishiba
    Studies indicate that most people living in the informal settlements are usually poor and financially excluded. As such, they tend to rely on informal finance groups for their financial upkeep. Given that there exist several informal finance groups and for different purposes, this study sought to establish the factors influencing participation of men and women in informal finance groups. The study was conducted in an informal settlement, namely Gachagi in Thika Sub-County, Kenya. The study adopted a qualitative descriptive design, and was guided by behavioral life cycle hypothesis advanced by Thaler (1954). The target population was 20 informal finance groups comprising 10 Rotating Saving and Credit Associations (ROSCAs), 5 welfare/clan groups, 3 Accumulating Savings and Credit Associations (ASCAs) and 2 investment groups. Out of the 20 informal finance groups, a sample size of 11 informal finance groups comprising 5 ROSCAs, 3 welfare/clan groups, 2 ASCAs and 1 investment group were selected forming a sample of 55%. The main respondents of the study were men and women members of the selected informal finance groups including group officials. Key study informants included the Divisional Social Services Officer (DSSO), the Chief and two elders from the informal settlement. Data collection tools were Focus Group Discussion guides for men and women in informal finance groups and interview guides for key informants. Data collected was cross-tabulated for qualitative analysis. Findings indicated that gender, marital status, age, educational level and economic status influenced participation of men and women in the informal finance groups. Other factors influencing men and women to engage in informal finance groups were to save money, inculcation of saving discipline and easy access to their savings and loans among others
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    HIV Type 1 Gag genetic Diversity among Antenatal Clinic Attendees in North Rift Valley, Kenya
    (PubMed, 2012) Gicheru, M. M.; Nyagaka, B.; Kiptoo, M. K.; Lihana, R. W.; Khamadi, S. A.; Makokha, E. P.; Kinyua, J. G.; Mwangi, J.; Osman, S.; Lagat, N. J.; Muriuki, J.; Okoth, V.; Ng'ang'a, Z.; Songok, E. M.
    HIV genetic recombination and high mutation rate increase diversity allowing it to escape from host immune response or antiretroviral drugs. This diversity has enabled specific viral subtypes to be predominant in specific regions. To determine HIV-1 subtypes among seropositive antenatal clinic attendees in Kenya's North Rift Valley, a cross-sectional study was carried out on 116 HIV-1-positive blood samples. Proviral DNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells by DNAzol lysis and ethanol precipitation. Polymerase chain reactions using specific primers for HIV-1 gag and population sequencing on resulting amplicons were carried out. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 81 (70%) were subtype A1, 13 (11%) subtype D, 8 (7%) subtype C, 3 (3%) subtype A2, 1 (1%) subtype G, and 10 showed possible recombinants: 5 (4%) subtype A1D, 4 (3%) subtype A1C, and 1 (1%) subtype A2C. These data support the need to establish circulating subtypes for better evaluation of effective HIV diagnostic and treatment options in Kenya.