Browsing by Author "Padde, John Roberts"
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Item Assessment of biosafety and biorisk management practices among medical laboratory students in two institutions in Uganda(Elsevier, 2022-09-07) Padde, John Roberts; Akiteng, Winnie; Edema, William; Atiku, Saad Mahjub; Tibyangye, Julius; Tekakwo, Job; Andruga, Cosmas; Hope, Derick; Musinguzi, Benson; Gesa, Jean Brenda; Amadile, Lawrence; Agondua, RobertMedical laboratory workers handle clinical specimens, which are a threat of exposure to infectious agents. Notably, medical laboratory science students report for internships with only theoretical knowledge of biosafety and biorisk management practices, predisposing them to a higher risk of laboratory hazards. In this study, we assessed the influence of entry-level students' adherence to practices and attitudes towards biosafety and biorisk management during the Internship. An online survey tool was used to explore the practices and attitudes towards laboratory biosafety and risk management. Of the 96 students, 60 (62.5%) anonymous responses were received, and of these, 60.3% were direct entrants, and 32.8% were diploma entrants. Most (91.7%) of the students attended hospital internships, with 60.2% in Biosafety Level (BSL)-2 laboratories and 70.2% rotating in all the core areas of laboratory medicine. The 8.3% who did not attend any internship were under the direct entry category. Exposure to biohazards was not significantly associated with laboratory safety level and student entry category (P> 0.05). Recommended laboratory biosafety practices were not significantly associated with the safety level of the laboratory and student entry category (P> 0.05). Poor attitudes towards certain laboratory biosafety practices were not significantly associated with the biosafety level of the training laboratory (P> 0.05), whereas training (P = 0.021) and clean-up procedures (P = 0.048) were associated with laboratory safety levels, respectively. The direct entrants had no access to BSL-3 laboratories, and this category of students had a negative attitude towards internship attendance. Therefore, there is a need to create a multi-channel full range laboratory biosafety and biorisk management teaching reforms based on practical application, real case studies, and laboratory simulation to be incorporated into the curriculum to benefit the direct entrant.Item The impact of environmental and host factors on wolbachia density and efficacy as a biological tool(Decoding Infection and Transmission, 2023-11-15) Padde, John Roberts; Lu, Qingyu; Long, Yuang; Zhang, Donghui; Hou, Min; Chen, Lu; Xu, Zhipeng; Chen, Lin; Ji, MinjunWolbachia, a bacterium found naturally in some species of Aedes and Culex mosquitoes, has gained significant attention for it's potential in controlling mosquito-borne diseases and suppressing mosquito populations. However, Wolbachia-mediated pathogen blockage, Wolbachia dynamics in field populations and vertical transmission have been reported to be density-dependent. Several factors, including host genetics, diet, temperature, and co-infections can influence Wolbachia titers within its host. The interplay between these factors can have significant influence on the effectiveness of Wolbachia-mediated pathogen blockage and cytoplasmic incompatibility. However, there is a knowledge gap regarding the regulation of Wolbachia density within its host, which could affect its effectiveness as a biocontrol tool. Therefore, this review aims to understand the complex tripartite association between the environment, host, and endosymbiont, and how these relationships are crucial in harnessing the full potential of Wolbachia as a biological tool. Further, we highlight how host, pathogen, and environmental factors influence Wolbachia density and how their interplay can impact CI and WMPB. We further review the strategies adopted to maintain/control Wolbachia densities in field populations.