Biography

I am an MSc student at the Faculty of Veterinary Science, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, the University of Pretoria at Onderstepoort. I hold a BSc in Microbiology (UP) and BSc Honours in Life Science (UNISA). After my studies at the BSC level at UP, I was offered an internship by the NRF in the Veterinary Public Health laboratory (2015/2016).  Thereafter, I was offered a Junior Technical Assistant position to work on zoonotic enteric pathogens in the Veterinary Public health Laboratory (2016-2019). Currently, I am a full-time student under the supervision of Dr M Karama investigating the prevalence, virulence profiles and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli isolates from goats on communal grazing in South Africa. I also work on projects that focus on the detection and molecular epidemiology of zoonotic foodborne bacterial pathogens, including Escherichia coli, Campylobacter spp.

Selected Publications:

1. Karama, M., Mainga, A.O., Cenci-Goga, B.T., Malahlela, M., El-Ashram, S., and Kalake, A., 2019. Molecular profiling and antimicrobial resistance of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O26, O45, O103, O121, O145 and O157 isolates from cattle cow-calf operations in South Africa. Scientific reports, 9(1), pp.1-15.
2. Mainga, A.O., Cenci‐Goga, B.T., Malahlela, M.N., Tshuma, T., Kalake, A. and Karama, M., 2018. Occurrence and characterization of seven major Shiga toxin‐producing Escherichia coli serotypes from healthy cattle on cow–calf operations in South Africa. Zoonoses and public health, 65(7), pp.777-789.
3. Karama, M., Cenci-Goga, B.T., Malahlela, M., Smith, A.M., Keddy, K.H., El-Ashram, S., Kabiru, L.M. and Kalake, A., 2019. Virulence Characteristics and Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Isolates from Humans in South Africa: 2006–2013. Toxins, 11(7), p.424.
4. Karama, M., Kambuyi, K., Cenci-Goga, B.T., Malahlela, M., Jonker, A., He, C., Ombui, J., Tshuma, T., Etter, E. and Kalake, A., 2020. Occurrence and Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles of Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, and Campylobacter upsaliensis in Beef Cattle on Cow–Calf Operations in South Africa. Foodborne Pathogens and Disease, 17 (7): p. 440-446.

Disciplines:

Public Health Microbiology, Molecular Genetics, and Epidemiology

Research description

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a zoonotic foodborne pathogen associated with mild to severe diarrhoea and can cause life-threatening complications such as haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in humans, a frequent cause of kidney failure in children and elderly. The most frequent STEC serotype is O157:H7. However, non-0157 serogroups have been incriminated in humans diseases including STEC O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, commonly termed “top 6” STEC. Cattle are the primary STEC reservoir. In addition, domestic ruminants, including goats and sheep, are also important carriers of STEC. Currently, there is a lack of information on STEC in goats in South Africa. This study aims to determine the prevalence and characterize STEC from goats in South Africa by serotyping, virulotyping, antimicrobial resistance profiling using molecular techniques mainly. This project will provide surveillance data needed to increase awareness of the role played by goats in the epidemiology of STEC in South Africa. Furthermore, this study will be used by food safety and public health organizations to formulate policies geared towards mitigating STEC foodborne disease in humans.

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