http://repository.must.ac.ke/handle/123456789/26 Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:22:27 GMT 2026-04-23T13:22:27Z http://repository.must.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1583 Health Communication Strategies Used by Health Care Workers on HPV Vaccine Uptake for Cervical Cancer Prevention among Caregivers of Young Adolescent Girls Aged 10 -14 Years in Kajiado County Thuo, Samson Chege; G., Musuruve Inimah; Amatu, Mary Purpose: This study sought to establish health communication strategies used by Health Care Workers on HPV vaccine uptake for cervical cancer prevention among caregivers of young adolescent girls aged 10 -14 years in Kajiado County. Methodology: The study applied a mixed method research design. It combined qualitative and quantitative study approaches. This study utilized Health Belief Model (HBM) and Protection Motivation Theory (PMT). The population of the study included all the parents/caregivers of the young adolescent girls 10 – 14 years in Kajiado County who passed the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study adopted multi-stage sampling to select the respondents and the location of study. Purposive sampling was applied to choose Kajiado County. Four out of all the 5 sub counties/constituencies namely; Kajiado Central, Kajiado South, Kajiado East and Kajiado West were included in the study. Findings: The study found that messages create awareness that women can take control of their reproductive health situation with regard to cervical cancer prevention. The findings also showed that creating awareness on cervical cancer and HPV vaccines by healthcare workers can reduce HPV vaccine misconceptions amongst caregivers/guardians. This can also lead to an increase in HPV vaccine uptake. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: HPV vaccination programs should focus on raising awareness about cervical cancer disease prevention, including information on HPV vaccination, screening, and healthy lifestyle choices. The study therefore recommended that there is need to intensify health communication awareness programs that specifically target adolescent girls. Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://repository.must.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1583 2026-09-02T00:00:00Z http://repository.must.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1542 Genetic Diversity of Selected Antibiotic Resistant Bacterial Strains from Industrial Effluents in Nairobi County, Kenya Muthoni, Esther; Mbogo, Kevin; Mutoro, Christine; Kagendo, Dorothy; Marangu, Victor Mwiti Abstract Antibiotic resistance represents a critical global health challenge driven by the dissemination of resistant bacterial genes across households, livestock and environmental reservoirs. Horizontal gene transfer and mutations play substantial roles in the existence and persistence of antimicrobial resistance significantly diminishing the effectiveness of current antibiotic therapies. This study aimed to investigate the genotypic and phenotypic resistance profiles of bacterial strains isolated from industrial effluent samples. Conducted in Nairobi County, Kenya, between January and December 2024, the study involved analysis of four bacterial strains isolated from industrial effluent samples collected via systematic sampling across multiple industrial sites. Bacterial identification was performed using API® 20E biochemical identification kit (BioMérieux, France). Antibiotic susceptibility testing encompassed several antibiotic classes including cephalosporins, penicillins, aminoglycosides, sulfonamides, tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones and carbapenems. DNA extraction from antibiotic-resistant isolates was conducted using ZyppyTM Plasmid Miniprep Kit (Zymo Research, USA) following the manufacturer’s protocol. Conventional PCR assays targeted resistance genes bla-TEM, bla-OXA, bla-KPC-1, bla-NDM and ParC. Sequence alignment was performed using MUSCLE software while phylogenetic analyses were conducted with MEGA 11 employing the Maximum Likelihood method to infer evolutionary relationships. All tested bacterial isolates including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Aeromonas spp., Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Bacillus spp., exhibited 100% resistance to penicillin.  Resistance to tetracyclines, cephalosporins and sulfonamides was notably prevalent in Aeromonas spp. In contrast, carbapenems and aminoglycosides maintained substantial efficacy particularly against Aeromonas spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. Multiplex PCR analysis revealed widespread distribution of resistance genes with bla-TEM being the most prevalent followed by bla-KPC, bla-OXA, bla-NDM and ParC underscoring the molecular basis for the observed resistance phenotypes. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated high sequence homology with globally distributed pathogenic strains highlighting the clinical relevance and potential public health impact of these findings. These findings underscore the urgent need to integrate comprehensive surveillance systems and implement multifaceted antimicrobial strategies to curb the spread of multidrug-resistant bacterial strains across environmental, healthcare, and aquatic ecosystems.   Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://repository.must.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1542 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://repository.must.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1536 Surveillance of Antibiotic Resistance in Gram-Negative Bacteria from Industrial Wastewater in Nairobi Muthoni, Esther; Mbogo, Kevin; Mutoro, Christine; Kagendo, Dorothy; Marangu, Victor Mwiti The  environmental  dispersal  of  antibiotic  resistant  bacteria  (ARB)  and  antibiotic  resistance  genes (ARGs)  represents  an  increasing  global  public  health  concern.  This  challenge  is  especially pronounced in low and middle-income countries where industrial wastewater management remains inadequate.  Industrial  wastewater  serves  as  a  reservoir  of  antibiotic  resistant  microorganisms. These  microorganisms  facilitate  the  transfer  of  resistance  traits  within  natural  ecosystems  and ultimately  to  human  populations  through  direct  contact,  the  food  chain  or  through  contaminated water  sources.  The  present  study  examined  the  occurrence  of  antibiotic  resistant  bacteria  in industrial wastewater in Nairobi County, Kenya and evaluated their sensitivity profiles to commonly used  antibiotics.  A  total  of  101  bacterial  isolates  were  recovered  from  the  samples  including Klebsiella   pneumoniae(37.6%),   Escherichia   coli(36.6%)   and Pseudomonas   aeruginosa. (25.7%).  Antibiotic sensitivity  profiles  were  determined  using  the  disc  diffusion  method  against  ten commonly  used  antibiotics.  High  resistance  was  observed  to  ampicillin  (88.1%),  trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole   (54.4%),   and   tetracycline   (45.5%).   Moderate   resistance   was   observed   to ceftriaxone  (45.5%)  and  ciprofloxacin  (22.7%)  while  the  lowest  resistance  rates  were  recorded  for levofloxacin (9.9%) and gentamicin (8.9%). Pseudomonas aeruginosa exhibited 100% resistance to both   trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole   and   tetracycline.   Multidrug   resistance   being   defined   as resistance to more than three classes of antibiotics was notably high among Klebsiella pneumoniae(47.4%)  and  also Escherichia  coli(29.7%).  These  findings  are  consistent  with  global  reports  that document   perseverance   of   antibiotic   resistant   bacteria   in   aquatic   environments   exposed   to industrial   contamination.   The   high   resistance   levels   detected   especially   with   the   frequently dispensed  antibiotics,  highlights  the  probable  health  risks  posed  by  environmental  exposure  to untreated  or  partially  treated  industrial  discharge.  This  study  highlights  the  role  of  industrial wastewater  as  a  significant  reservoir  of  multidrug  resistant  bacteria  and  underscores  the  urgent need  for  policy  action  and  better  wastewater  management  as  well  as  integration  of  antimicrobial stewardship into both public health and environmental policy frameworks Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://repository.must.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1536 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://repository.must.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1535 A review of participatory epidemiology application in human health and nutrition and future directions Marangu, Victor Mwiti; Kei, Robert Mburugu; Kagendo, Dorothy Participatory Epidemiology (PE) developed as a branch of veterinary epidemiology and has been widely used in infectious disease control and early warning in resource-limited settings. In the beginning, Participatory Epidemiology was focused on linking the researcher’s communication skills with participatory methods to enable the participation of livestock owners and herders in the identification and assessment of livestock diseases as well as in the development, monitoring, and evaluation of the disease control strategies. In this respect, the use of participatory techniques gradually developed into Participatory Epidemiology with increased recognition by epidemiologists who have developed several tools which are being adapted in human health and nutrition. Relative to veterinary uses and human nutrition, Participatory Epidemiology has not been used in public health in Kenya or for studies on important human diseases, such as Kala-azar. However, in the recent past there have been growing interests from epidemiologists to extend the testing and piloting of the Participatory Epidemiology approach in the arid and semi-arid settings of Kenya geared at empowering communities to identify and solve their health needs. Additionally, there is ongoing debate about the ability of epidemiology to give results that can be better applied in public health practice besides its ability to identify disease risk factors. Scientific research has recommended that participatory research be applied in epidemiology to bridge this descriptive gap and action. This review describes the implementation experiences and lessons learnt in the use of Participatory Epidemiology in understanding human diseases, both communicable and non-communicable as well as human nutrition, a key factor in health and wellness. The reviewed articles provide an understanding into the application of PE approaches which have been limited in pastoralist areas, where zoonotic diseases are prone. The article establishes that as opposed to more conventional methods, using Participatory Epidemiology can generate precise and scientifically credible information within a relatively short period. Data generated from Participatory Epidemiology can be sustainably used to effectively find solutions to the common community health problems based on local preferences for control options. Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT http://repository.must.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1535 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z