Malaria is a daunting epidemic killing millions of people annually and no region is harder hit than Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Each year there are more than 247 million malaria cases in SSA, resulting in more than 600,000 deaths. Despite a comprehensive understanding of the parasite and its transmission, worldwide eradication campaigns have failed to adequately control or eliminate the disease. This paper provides a meta-analysis of historical and current approaches to malaria eradication throughout SSA, highlighting past success and perceived failure to avoid repetitive progression down a path of narrowly focused eradication efforts. Through consideration of the economic costs associated with malaria, as well as a critique of current international elimination strategies, this analysis suggests sizeable and widespread returns to pursuing eradication measures. However, this paper finds that current methods are not sufficient to eradicate the malaria burden and multi-dimensional and all-encompassing approaches are essential to making malaria history.

Poverty is a severe problem which deserves global attention. Despite the efforts of the international society and the commitments enshrined in the Millennium Declaration around two billion people are poor in today’s world. The key lies in the collaboration and building of partnerships in order to better tackle this worldwide problem. This study focuses particularly on the EU-UNIDO partnership and is aimed at evaluating its work towards eradicating poverty. For this purpose, fact sheets and charts from various secondary sources have been analysed. Moreover, the author has carried out a qualitative analysis of two EU-UNIDO projects according to a particular evaluation scheme. The study is of importance since the suggestions as to improvement of the EU-UNIDO partnership arising from it can help tackle the global poverty problem more effectively.There is a widespread view that most of the world’s extremely poor live in the Low Income countries (LICs) of Africa. However, a recent study suggests that bulk of the world’s poor actually live in Middle Income Countries (MICs), mostly in Asia. For the purpose of the analysis the following questions are addressed. Firstly, the study seeks to find out what instruments the EU-UNIDO partnership uses to tackle the problem of poverty and whether they are successful. Secondly, it investigates if and to what extent the EU-UNIDO partnership takes into account the change in the global distribution of the poor. The results indicate that in order to fight poverty the EU-UNIDO projects mostly seek to boost economic growth and develop trade capacity. However, the project area of action is not always pro-poor. Moreover, geographical distribution of the EU-UNIDO projects does not run in accordance with the global poverty distribution.

Similar to cancer cells, HIV-infected cells differ from HIV-uninfected cells in that they have altered interferon signaling pathways, the apparent reason for the selectivity of certain oncolytic viruses (OVs). Therefore, it was hypothesized that use of an OV, such as recombinant Maraba virus (MG1), may be a potential approach to eliminate latently-infected cells constituting the HIV reservoir while sparing HIV-uninfected cells. This was studied in U1, ACH-2, OM-10 and J1.1 cells and their respective HIV-uninfected parent cell lines in addition to CD4+CD25-HLADR- cells from HIV-infected individuals on effective antiretroviral therapy. Although MG1 infected and killed latently HIV-infected U1 cells to a greater degree than the HIV-uninfected parent U937 cells, this was not observed in the other HIV-infected cell lines and their respective parent cell lines. Furthermore, results from primary cells suggest that MG1 alone does not appear to eliminate cells which comprise the major HIV reservoir. Challenges of studying the HIV reservoir and priorities for future studies examining the use of OVs as a potential strategy to eliminate the HIV reservoir are discussed.

Submitted by PAULO EDUARDO CARRARO null (ducarrarovet@hotmail.com) on 2016-04-11T19:18:57Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÃO_Paulo_Eduardo_Carraro.pdf: 1129054 bytes, checksum: 9de48e07b97a3734d728f66c385e66e5 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Juliano Benedito Ferreira (julianoferreira@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-04-13T13:21:37Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 carraro_pe_me_jabo.pdf: 1129054 bytes, checksum: 9de48e07b97a3734d728f66c385e66e5 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-13T13:21:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 carraro_pe_me_jabo.pdf: 1129054 bytes, checksum: 9de48e07b97a3734d728f66c385e66e5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-25 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O Programa Nacional de Controle e Erradicação da Brucelose e Tuberculose normatiza a certificação de propriedades livres para diminuir o impacto negativo dessas zoonoses na saúde humana e animal, além de promover a competitividade dos produtos no mercado internacional. Assim, o objetivo do trabalho foi analisar as atividades ao longo do processo de saneamento para a obtenção da certificação e renovação. Os municípios onde estão localizadas as propriedades foram geoprocessados no mapa do circuito pecuário do Estado de São Paulo. Foi utilizado um questionário semiestruturado com questões relativas ao perfil das propriedades (características do proprietário e da propriedade, caracterização da produção e perguntas relacionadas à saúde humana, animal e ambiental) e abordando o processo de saneamento ao longo da certificação e renovação. A análise de correspondência foi feita no software Statistic 7.0. Os proprietários têm em média 63,3 anos de idade, 92% (13/14) possuem nível superior, as propriedades certificadas possuem, em sua maioria, capacidade média (entre 300 e 900 litros) ou grande (maior que 900 litros) de produção diária de leite, os rebanhos com 90 a 499 animais foram os mais frequentes, praticam atividade comercial frequentemente, possuem veterinário responsável pelo menos uma vez ao mês. As propriedades certificadas não estão distribuídas de maneira homogênea no Estado. Elas encontraram dificuldades para obter a certificação e renovação, uma vez que mesmo estando certificadas livres das doenças houve infecção no rebanho, evidenciando a complexidade em combater as enfermidades e necessidade de mais ações conjuntas. Não houve correspondência (p= 0,9973) entre as variáveis da produção e do saneamento. Apenas os circuitos pecuários 1 e 6 não possuem propriedade certificada. O Estado de São Paulo tem poucas propriedades certificadas livres de brucelose e tuberculose, necessitando de maior adesão dos produtores de leite no programa estadual, de maior divulgação do mesmo, da readequação das normas referentes às atividades para obter a certificação, da intensificação da educação sanitária para os produtores de leite, sobretudo, para os pequenos produtores, em todos os circuitos pecuários; de maiores incentivos do setor privado (indústrias) para adesão voluntária ao PECEBT e fiscalização de propriedades produtoras de leite que comercializam o produto, mas não possuem o certificado de livre de brucelose e tuberculose. / The National Program for Control and Eradication of Brucellosis and Tuberculosis acts aiming the certification of free properties to reduce the negative impact of zoonoses on human and animal health, and promote the competitiveness of products in the international market. The objective of the study was to analyze the activities during the sanitation process for obtaining certification and renewal. Municipalities that contains the properties were geoprocessed map of the livestock circuit of São Paulo. It used one semi-structured questionnaire with questions regarding the profile of properties (owner characteristics and property characterization of production and questions related to human, animal and environmental health) and by addressing the sanitation process throughout the certification and renewal. Correspondence analysis was made on the Statistic 7.0 software. The owners have on average 63.3 years old, 92% (13/14) have a university degree, certified farms have, in most cases, the average milk production (between 300 and 900 liters) to large (greater than 900 liters ), three farms have cattle younger than 50 animals, practicing commercial activity often have veterinarian responsible at least once a month. Certified farms are not distributed in homogeneous way in the State. The properties found it difficult to obtain certification and renewal, although, being certified free of disease, the infection occurred in the herd, highlighting the complexity of combat disease and in need of more joint actions. The variables studied showed no correspondence (p = 0,9973). Only the livestock circuits 1 and 6 do not have certified property. The State of São Paulo has few free certified properties of brucellosis and tuberculosis, requiring greater adhesion of milk producers in the state program of greater disclosure thereof, the readjustment of the rules pertaining to the activities to obtain certification, the intensification of health education for dairy farmers, especially for small producing, in all livestock circuits; greater incentives of the private sector (industries) for voluntary adherence to PECEBT and surveillance of producing properties of milk that sell the product, but do not have the certificate free of brucellosis and tuberculosis.

Master of Science / Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology / Alison Paige Adams / Avian influenza (AI) is a zoonotic disease that has garnered much attention in recent years due to its detrimental effects on poultry, producers and potentially human health. This disease can be extremely fatal to domestic poultry, killing as high as 90-100% of the flock. This virus has the potential to cause devastation to and loss of entire flocks. AI is typically spread between wild fowl and domestic poultry with a zoonotic potential to also affect human health as well as other animals. Its spread also has a massive economic impact due to the decreased amounts of available poultry products to consumers around the world. This report will examine the worldwide history and epidemiology of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). In the last ninety-two years, there have been five recorded outbreaks of HPAI in the United States (US). Globally, notable outbreaks have occurred in Italy (1997-2001), the Dutch region of Europe (2003), Canada (2004), and more recently, in Asia. Preventative measures will be examined in this report. In particular, biosecurity, quarantine, surveillance, and eradication are some of the most widely recognized and accepted ways to help prevent and control HPAI outbreaks. However, none of these methods are failsafe strategies to completely prevent or control the spread of HPAI. This report will focus on an additional preventative measure - currently available and potential future vaccination programs. There is a global shift toward procuring poultry that are AI-free as well as unvaccinated for AI. This is, in part, due to the limitations of currently available vaccines in completely ridding poultry of this disease. Vaccinations may reduce the amount of virus in infected birds, but this does not prevent birds from becoming infected. When addressing the control and eradication of HPAI, some future challenges include viral mutations, intermingling of domesticated and wild birds, and vaccine development. Because of the current limitations of vaccines and future challenges in controlling the spread of infection, there is no one single solution to this problem. It will require a multi-faceted approach.

Similar to cancer cells, HIV-infected cells differ from HIV-uninfected cells in that they have altered interferon signaling pathways, the apparent reason for the selectivity of certain oncolytic viruses (OVs). Therefore, it was hypothesized that use of an OV, such as recombinant Maraba virus (MG1), may be a potential approach to eliminate latently-infected cells constituting the HIV reservoir while sparing HIV-uninfected cells. This was studied in U1, ACH-2, OM-10 and J1.1 cells and their respective HIV-uninfected parent cell lines in addition to CD4+CD25-HLADR- cells from HIV-infected individuals on effective antiretroviral therapy. Although MG1 infected and killed latently HIV-infected U1 cells to a greater degree than the HIV-uninfected parent U937 cells, this was not observed in the other HIV-infected cell lines and their respective parent cell lines. Furthermore, results from primary cells suggest that MG1 alone does not appear to eliminate cells which comprise the major HIV reservoir. Challenges of studying the HIV reservoir and priorities for future studies examining the use of OVs as a potential strategy to eliminate the HIV reservoir are discussed.

Magister Commercii - MCom / This minithesis aims to determine whether South Africa's microfinance institutions are operating efficiently and whether efficiency can be enhanced. Using the United Nations model and framework for efficiency, it examines the key principles of operational efficiency in the South African microfinance context. The paper begins with an overview of the literature relating to the principles of efficiency as underscored in the United Nations model.

Les Trypanosomoses Animales Africaines (TAA) sont une contrainte majeure à la viabilité et à la durabilité des systèmes de production de bétail au Ghana. Sous la tutelle de la Campagne Pan-Africaine d'Eradication des Tsé-tsé et des Trypanosomoses (PATTEC), le Ghana collabore avec le Burkina Faso au sein d'un projet sous régional pour créer une zone libérée de glossines à leur frontière commune. Les objectifs de cette thèse sont de i) déterminer la situation initiale avant intervention en ce qui concerne le vecteur et la prévalence de la maladie dans la zone de lutte, ii) déterminer la structure des populations de glossines et ses conséquences sur la durabilité des efforts de lutte anti-vectorielle, iii) évaluer l'efficacité de la Pulvérisation Séquentielle d'Aérosols insecticides (SAT) pour contrôler les glossines riveraines et iv) évaluer les risques environnementaux associés à cette stratégie de lutte. Les résultats de l'enquête de base conduite dans la région nord-ouest du Ghana (zone d'étude) ont montré une large distribution de Glossina tachinoides alors que Glossina palpalis gambiensis était limitée à la limite sud de la zone d'étude. La prévalence parasitaire moyenne chez les bovins était de 2.5% (IC 95%: 1.06-5.77) et la prévalence sérologique de 19% (IC: 14.03-25.35). La densité apparente par piège et par jour (DAP) des glossines était de 8.7, 1.9 et 1.3 respectivement le long des rivières Volta noire, Kulpawn et Sissili. Une structuration génétique importante des populations de G. tachinoides a été observée entre sites d'étude d'un même bassin versant et entre bassins versants. Une densité locale de 0.48-0.61 glossines/m² a été inférée, ainsi qu'une distance de dispersion d'environ 11m par génération [IC 9 - 17]. Aucun biais de dispersion sexe-spécifique n'a été détecté. La dispersion observée était suffisante pour qu'une zone libérée de G. tachinoides puisse être ré-envahie par les populations mitoyennes des bassins versants adjacents.L'efficacité de la SAT à éliminer les espèces de glossines riveraines dans une section particulièrement difficile (canopée très dense et fortes densités de glossines) et l'efficacité ultérieure, un an après la SAT, d'une stratégie de lutte intégrée, ont également été testées. Les résultats montrent l'échec de l'éradication, attribué à une pénétration insuffisante des aérosols insecticides dans les galeries forestières denses. Toutefois, le taux de réduction global obtenu par la SAT fut important (98%) et la stratégie intégrée parvint à maintenir un niveau important de suppression des glossines. Enfin, une mesure de l'impact environnemental du projet a montré un impact non significatif de la deltaméthrine en aérosols sur les arthropodes aquatiques et terrestres non-ciblés. / African animal trypanosomosis (AAT) is a major constraint to viable and sustainable livestock production systems in Ghana. Under the umbrella of the Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomosis Eradication Campaign (PATTEC), Ghana is collaborating with Burkina Faso in a sub-regional initiative aiming at creating tsetse-free areas across their common borders. The objective of this thesis was to conduct research to guide project implementation and specifically seeks to i) determine the pre-intervention vector and disease situation of the intervention area, ii) determine tsetse population structuring and the consequences on sustainable tsetse control efforts, iii) evaluate SAT for the control of riverine tsetse species in Ghana and iv) evaluate the environmental risk of the intervention programmes. Results of a baseline survey conducted in the Upper West Region (study area) indicated a wide-spread prevalence of Glossina tachinoides but Glossina palpalis gambiensis was limited to the southern edge of the study area. Average parasitological prevalence in cattle was estimated at 2.5% (95% CI: 1.06–5.77) and serological prevalence measured at 19% (95% CI: 14.03–25.35). The mean Index of Apparent Abundance (IAA) of tsetse was 8.7, 1.9 and 1.3 for samples taken along the Black Volta, Kulpawn and Sissili Rivers, respectively. Investigations of the G. tachinoides populations confirmed significant structuring within and between the three main river-basins of the study area, and indicated a local density of 0.48-0.61 flies/m² and dispersal distance that approximated 11 m per generation [CI 9 - 17]. No significant sex-biased dispersal was detected. However, the observed dispersal was deemed sufficient for a G. tachinoides-cleared area to be reinvaded from neighbouring populations in adjacent river basins. The potential of Sequential Aerosol Technique (SAT) to eliminate riverine tsetse species in a challenging subsection (dense tree canopy and high tsetse densities) and the subsequent efficacy of an integrated strategy, one year after the SAT operations, were also investigated. Results indicated failure to achieve elimination, attributed to insufficient penetration of insecticide aerosols in thick riverine forest galleries. However the overall reduction rate due to SAT was important (98%) and the subsequent integrated strategy maintained high levels of tsetse suppression. Finally an environmental impact assessment revealed no significant impact of deltamethrin aerosols on non-targeted aquatic and terrestrial arthropods.

Introduced species present one of the greatest threats to biodiversity of native species, and knowledge of introduced species ecology is imperative for the development of management plans to ensure conservation of native species populations. We sought to determine the distribution and nesting behavior of an introduced population of red-bellied squirrels (Sciurus aureogaster) on islands of the Florida Keys currently managed as part of Biscayne National Park, and document potential for the species to impact native flora and fauna. Squirrels were difficult to observe in the dense vegetation of the subtropical forest, so we relied on their leaf nests, which were highly visible in the canopy of trees, to determine current presence and distribution on the Park's islands. We found nests throughout the mixed-hardwood forests of Elliott Key and Sands Key, and also documented a single, old nest on Old Rhodes Key, the first ever documentation of the species that far south in the Upper Keys. Nests were located in tall trees with more canopy linkages than random focal trees, and nests were placed in the upper canopy on the north side of the nest tree more often than expected by chance. Squirrels selected West Indies mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni) to place nests more often than available in the forest. Squirrels used areas with greater tree density and canopy cover, but lower recent hurricane damage and fewer woody shrub stems, than areas available at random in the forest. Squirrels built nests only in mixed-hardwood forest. Overall, this introduced species exhibited nest site selection behavior similar to other tree squirrels, and appears capable of continued spread despite the initial site of introduction on an oceanic island. Knowledge obtained from this research is being used by managers and applied to an eradication program to remove this invasive species from Biscayne National Park.

Objective: To look at the Red Cross and the Red Crescent societies integrated campaigns between 2002 and 2006 with free distribution of insecticide treated nets (ITN)that have taken place and its contribution to the Millennium Development Goals(MDG) and the Abuja target.  Method: Review of surveys, evaluations and reports from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent integrated campaigns. Published articles up to 2007 have been accessed from electronic databases Medline, PubMed, the Cochrane Library and website`s from WHO, UNICEF, GFATM , and related articles available from international organisations web sites in addition to informal discussions and meetings with key stakeholders. Results: The integrated vaccination and free distribution of long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) achieved a rapid, high and equal LLIN coverage among all wealth quintiles. The MDG and Abuja target for ITN coverage at household level were reached within a week giving a unique opportunity for a significant reduction in malaria incidences, morbidity and mortality. The ITN possession remained higher than utilisation, but utilisation increased if a follow up visit, ensuring nets being hung and properly used, had taken place at household level post campaign. Conclusion: Large scale free distribution of LLINs  bridge the equity gap between poor and rich and increased the use rate among children under five and pregnant women. The low utilisation versus possession remains a challenge and thus a “minimum standard” of a two phased strategy is recommend to reach maximum impact and the MDG; Phase one preparing for pre campaign data, logistical planning and distribution while phase two should focus on a post campaign Keep Up program providing health education at household level to ensure proper net hanging and use. / <p>ISBN 978-91-85721-42-9</p>