The nutritional status of pre-school children, Kainji Lake communities, Nigeria: a baseline survey

This survey was carried out to provide the Kainji Lake Fisheries Promotion Project (KLFPP), whose overall goal is the improvement of the standard of living of fishing communities around Kainji Lake, Nigeria, and an increase in the availability of fish to consumers, with nutritional status baseline data for long-term monitoring and evaluation of the overall project goal. In a cross-sectional survey, baseline anthropometric data was collected from 768 children, aged 3-60 months in 389 fisherfolk households around the southern sector of Kainji Lake, Nigeria. In addition, data was collected on the nutritional status and fertility of the mothers, vaccination coverage of children and child survival indicators. For control purposes, 576 children and 292 mothers from non-fishing households around Kainji Lake were likewise covered by the survey. A standardised questionnaire was used to collect relevant information, while anthropometric measurements were made using appropriate equipment. Data compilation and analysis was carried out with DATAEASE registered and EPI-INFO registered software, using NCHS reference data for the analysis of anthropometric measurements. The prevalence of stunted children in fishing households was high at 40%, while the prevalence of wasted and underweight children was likewise high at 10% and 29% respectively. Children from non-fishing households had a marginally lower prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight with 37%, 7% and 25 % respectively, although these differences were not statistically significant. Considering the fact that the survey was carried out during a period of relative food abundance, the prevalence of wasting and underweight children is likely to be much higher during periods of food shortage. The prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight was relatively high for children aged 3 to 23 months, suggesting an increased risk of malnutrition during this period, most likely associated with inadequate weaning practices. The prevalence of malnourishment amongst women of child-bearing age was relatively high, irrespective of occupation of the household, with an average of 11% undernourished and 6% wasted. Vaccination coverage was very low while infant and child mortality were extremely high with about 1 in 5 children dying before their fifth birthday. Based on the ethical obligation to maximise the potential benefits of the survey, recommendations for activities to improve community nutrition and health were made for communication to relevant authorities. (PDF contains 52 pages)

The nutritional status of pre-school children, Kainji Lake communities, Nigeria: a follow-up survey

This survey was carried out to provide the Kainji Lake Fisheries Promotion Project (KLFPP), whose overall goal is the improvement of the standard of living of fishing communities around Kainji Lake, Nigeria, managing the fisheries on a sustainable basis, with follow-up data for long-term monitoring and evaluation of the overall project goal. A similar survey, conducted in 1996, provided the baseline against which data from the current survey was evaluated. In a cross-sectional survey, anthropometric data was collected from 576 children aged 3-60 months in 282 fisherfolk households around the southern sector of Kainji Lake, Nigeria. In addition, data was collected on the nutritional status and fertility of the mothers, vaccination coverage of children and child survival indicators. For control purposes, 374 children and 181 mothers from non-fishing households around Kainji Lake were likewise covered by the survey. A standardised questionnaire was used to collect relevant data, while anthropometric measurements were made using appropriate equipment. Data compilation and analysis was carried out with a specially designed Microsoft Access application, using NCHS reference data for the analysis of anthropometric measurements. Statistical significance testing was done using EPI-INFO" software. The results of the follow-up survey indicate a slight increase in the percentage of stunted pre-school children in fishing households around Kainji Lake, from 40% in 1996 to 41% in 1999. This increase is however not statistically significant (p= 0.704). Over the same period, the percentage of stunted children in non-fishing households increased from 37% to 39% (p= 0.540), which is also not statistically significant. Likewise, there were no statistically significant differences between the 1996 and 1999 results for the prevalence of either wasted or underweight children in fishing households. The same applies to children from non-fishing households. In addition, vaccination coverage remains very low while infant and child mortality rates continue to be extremely high with about 1 in 5 children dying before their fifth birthday. There has been no perceptible and lasting improvement in the standard of living of fishing households over the course of the second project phase as indicated by the persistently high prevalence of stunting. The situation is the same for the control group, indicating that for the region as a whole, a number of factors beyond the immediate influence of the project continue to negatively impact on the standard of living. The results also show that the project activities have not had any negative long-term effect on the nutritional status of the beneficiaries. (PDF contains 44 pages)

Marketing and hygiene

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Coral health and disease in the Pacific: vision for action

Shallow coral reefs in the IndoPacific contain the highest diversity of marine organisms in the world, with approximately 1500 described species of fish, over 500 species of scleractinian corals, and an estimated 1-10 million organisms yet to be characterized (Reaka-Kudla et al. 1994). These centers of marine biodiversity are facing significant, multiple threats to reef community and habitat structure and function, resulting in local to wide-scale regional damage. Wilkinson (2004) characterized the major pressures as including (1) global climate change, (2) diseases, plagues and invasive species, (3) direct human pressures, (4) poor governance and lack of political will, and (5) international action or inaction. Signs that the natural plasticity of reef ecosystems has been exceeded in many areas from the effects of environmental (e.g., global climate change) and anthropogenic (e.g., land use, pollution) stressors is evidenced by the loss of 20% of the world’s coral reefs (Wilkinson 2004). Predictions are that another 24% (Wilkinson 2006) are under imminent risk of collapse and an additional 26% are under a longer term threat from reduced fitness, disease outbreaks, and increased mortality. These predictions indicate that the current list of approximately 30-40 fatal diseases impacting corals will expand as will the frequency and extent of “coral bleaching” (Waddell 2005; Wilkinson 2004). Disease and corallivore outbreaks, in combination with multiple, concomitant human disturbances are compromising corals and coral reef communities to the point where their ability to rebound from natural disturbances is being lost.

Health and disease status of Thai pangas, Pangasius hypophthalmus cultured in rural ponds of Mymensingh, Bangladesh

Thai pangas, Pangasius hypophthalmus is one of the important aquaculture species in Bangladesh. Over the last few years spectacular development has been taking place in Thai pangas farming in Mymensingh district. Due to availability of easy breeding and culture techniques as well as quick return, more and more people are converting their rice fields into pangas farms overnight. The present study was carried out to examine health and disease status of Thai pangas mainly through clinical, histopathological and bacteriological techniques. In addition, for collecting primary data on disease and health status of Thai pangas and the resultant socioeconomic impacts on rural households, questionnaire interview and participatory rural appraisal tools were used with selected farming households in three upazilas of Mymensingh district. The most prevalent diseases as reported by the farmers were red spot, followed by anal protrusion, tail and fin rot, pop eye, dropsy and gill rot. Other conditions like cotton wool type lesion, ulceration and white spot were reported but with lower incidence. Four isolates of Aeromonas hydrophila were recovered from kidney and lesion of diseased fish. Hemorrhage over the body especially near mouth and caudal region was noticed in the fishes associated with aeromonad infection. Internally, kidney, liver and spleen became swollen and enlarged. The isolates varied with their pathogenicity. All the four isolates were sensitive to Nitrofurantoin, Cotrimoxazole and Tetracycline but were resistant to Amoxycilline. An attempt was made to treat diseased fish with extracts from neem leaf, garlic and turmeric. Recovery of infection was monitored through mortality and histopathology. General histopathological changes of different organs were also studied. Extract from neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf gave better result. Telangiectasis, lamellar hypertrophy and hyperplasia hemorrhage, lamellar fusion, necrosis of lamellar epithelial cells, presence of parasites and their cysts were the major pathology of gills. Hemorrhagic lesion, pyknotic nuclei and melanomacrophage centers (MMC) were found in the liver of fish. Major pathologies in kidney of fish included presence of MMC, necrotic and ruptured kidney tubules, severe haemopoietic necrosis, and hemorrhage. The economic loss due to disease in Thai pangas farming was estimated from the difference between expected production and actual production. On an average, Thai pangas farmers of Mymensingh incur a loss of Tk. 23,104/ha/cycle due to fish disease (3.6% of expected total production). The loss, however, varied with location and size of farms, type of farmers and management practices. The study also highlighted fish health management related problems and recommended further work for the development of user-friendly farmer-oriented fish health management packages.