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A study to determine contamination of fish from Lake Chivero was carried out at selected sites along the fish handling and distribution chain. Samples were collected from lake and vending sites in Harare's high density suburbs, in March, August and November 2012. Pathogenic bacteria indicators were used to investigate the quality of water, fish, and fish contact surfaces to determine the levels of contamination. Swabs on contact surfaces and fish samples were tested for total viable bacterial count, coliforms and Salmonella. The highest coliforms load was recorded in fish trading locations and the lowest in the cold chain samples (Table 1). Salmonella sp. was present in most samples except harvest waters (Table 1). Pathogenic indicator micro-organisms were present in lake water samples (Table 1), suggesting that fish may already be contaminated. The increase in microbial load along the fish handling chain showed poor fish handling was causing additional contamination, presenting a health risk to consumers.

ABSTRACTFourth-generation HIV rapid tests (RTs) claim to detect both p24 antigen (Ag) and HIV antibodies (Ab) for early identification of acute infections, important for targeting prevention and reducing HIV transmission. In a nationally representative household survey in Swaziland, 18,172 adults, age 18 to 49 years, received home-based HIV rapid testing in 2010 and 2011. Of the 18,172 individuals, 5,822 (32.0%) were Ab positive (Ab+) by the Determine HIV-1/2 Ab/Ab combo test, and 5,789 (99.4%) of those were confirmed to be reactive in the Uni-Gold test. Determine combo identified 12 individuals as having acute infections (Ag+/Ab negative [Ab-]); however, none had detectable HIV-1 RNA and 8 of 12 remained HIV negative at their 6-week follow-up visit (4 were lost to follow-up). All RT-nonreactive samples were pooled and tested by nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) to identify acute infections. NAAT identified 13 (0.1%) of the 12,338 HIV antibody-negative specimens as HIV RNA positive, with RNA levels ranging from 300 to >10,000,000 copies/ml. However, none of them were Ag+by Determine combo. Follow-up testing of 12 of the 13 NAAT-positive individuals at 6 months demonstrated 12 seroconversions (1 individual was lost to follow-up). Therefore, the Determine combo test had a sensitivity of 0% (95% confidence interval, 0 to 28) and positive predictive value of 0% for the detection of acute infections. The ability of the 4th-generation Determine combo to detect antigen was very poor in Swaziland. Thus, the Determine combo test does not add any value to the current testing algorithm; rather, it adds additional costs and complexity to HIV diagnosis. The detection of acute HIV infections may need to rely on other testing strategies.

Zimbabwe’s Agrarian livelihoods have drastically changed within the last decade due to the Fast-Track Land Reform Programme (FTLPR) that saw massive transfer of land from white commercial farmers to black farmers. The agricultural revolution led to re-peasantization processes coming back on the national agenda, with women participating in the process of land acquisition and investing in farming activities. In this article, we discuss the role that women have been playing in the new agricultural sphere in Zimbabwe, in light of land acquisition modes, the crops that are grown and the different entrepreneurial activities undertaken by women. The article demonstrates how re-peasantization processes have led to the recognition of land as a central resource shaping rural livelihoods, especially for women, in terms of contributing to the national and household food baskets.