• Pattern of ovulation in an ancient, solitary mole-rat lineage: Heliophobius argenteocinereus emini from Tanzania 

  Katandukila, J. V.; Ngalameno, M. K.; Mgode, G. F.; Bastos, A. D. S.; Bennett, N. C. (CORNELL UNIVERSITY, 2017)

  Heliophobius is an ancient subterranean rodent lineage within the family Bathyergidae, that displays seasonal breeding over a broad geographical range. In East Africa, reproduction in these solitary mole-rats has been ...
• Effectiveness of the domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) urine extracts odour against commensal rodents 

  Mulungu, L. S.; Ngowo, V.; Mdangi, M. E.; Magadula, A. J. J.; Kapingu, M.; Mbukwa, E.; Mgina, C. A.; Mwatawala, M. W.; Kichuki, M.; Mwakalobo, A. S.; Mgode, G. F. (COSTECH, 2017)

  The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an extract of cat urine odour as a repellant of commensal rodents in houses. Cat urine was drawn and stored frozen in universal bottles at -20 0 C until use. The ...
• Using giant african pouched rats to detect human tuberculosis: A review 

  Poling, A.; Mahoney, A.; Beyene, N.; Mgode, G.; Weetjens, B.; Cox, C.; Durgin, A. (Pan African Medical Journal, 2015-08-31)

  Despite its characteristically low sensitivity, sputum smear microscopy remains the standard for diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) in resource-poor countries. In an attempt to develop an alternative or adjunct to microscopy, ...
• Tuberculosis detection by pouched rats: Opportunities for reinforcement under low-prevalence conditions 

  Edwards, T. L.; Ellis, H.; Watkins, E. E.; Mulder, C.; Mgode, G.; Cox, C.; Poling, A. (2017 Elsevier B.V, 2017)

  Giant African pouched rats (Cricetomys ansorgei) have been employed successfully in two operational tuberculosis-detection projects in which they sniff sputum samples from symptomatic individuals who have visited ...
• Active tuberculosis detection by pouched rats in 2014: more than 2,000 new patients found in two countries 

  Poling, A.; Beyene, N.; Valverde, E.; Mulder, C.; Cox, C.; Mgode, G.; Edwards, T. L. (2016 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 2016)

  Tuberculosis (TB) is a major problem in poor countries because sensitive diagnostic tools are unavail- able. In 2014, our pouched rats evaluated sputum from 21,600 Tanzanians and 9,048 Mozambicans whose sputum had ...
• Leptospirosis in sugarcane plantation and fishing communities in Kagera northwestern Tanzania 

  Mgode, G. F.; Japhary, M. M.; Mhamphi, G. G.; Kiwelu, I.; Athaide, I.; Machang’u, R. S. (PLOS/ Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2019-05-31)

  Background Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonotic disease of worldwide importance, though relatively neglected in many African countries including sub Saharan Africa that is among areas with high burden of this disease. ...
• Rapid molecular evolution of pain insensitivity in multiple African rodents 

  Eigenbrod, O.; Debus, K. Y.; Reznick, J.; Bennett, N. C.; Sánchez-Carranza, O.; Omerbašić, D.; Hart, D. W.; Barker, A. J.; Zhong, W.; Lutermann, H.; Katandukila, J. V.; Mgode, G.; Park, T. J.; Lewin, G. R. (Science sciencemag, 2019-05-31)

  Noxious substances, called algogens, cause pain and are used as defensive weapons by plants and stinging insects. We identified four previously unknown instances of algogen-insensitivity by screening eight African rodent ...
• Tuberculosis diagnostic technology: an African solution ... think rats 

  Mulder, C.; Mgode, G.; Reid, S. E. (AOSIS, 2017-03-31)

  Introduction Tuberculosis has now gained ranking alongside HIV as one of the two leading causes of death from infectious diseases worldwide. 1 In 2014, it was estimated that 1.5 million people died as a result of and ...
• Seroprevalence and associated risk factors of leptospirosis in slaughter pigs; a neglected public health risk, western Kenya 

  Ngugi, J. N.; Fèvre, E. M.; Mgode, G. F.; Obonyo, M.; Mhamphi, G. G.; Otieno, C. A.; Cook, E. A. J. (BMC Veterinary Research, 2019)

  Background: Leptospirosis is a neglected zoonosis of public health importance transmitted through contact with contaminated soil, water or urine of infected animals. In pigs the disease is characterized by abortion, still ...
• Seropositivity of Brucella spp. and Leptospira spp. antibodies among abattoir workers and meat vendors in the city of Mwanza, Tanzania: A call for one health approach control strategies 

  Mirambo, M. M.; Mgode, G. F.; John, M.; Mngumi, E. B.; Mhamphi, G. G.; Mshana, S. E.; Malima, Z. O. (PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2018-06-25)

  A total of 250 participants (146 abattoir workers and 104 meat vendors) were enrolled with median age of 31 (IQR: 25–38) years. The overall, seropositivity of Brucella spp. antibodies was 48.4% (95% Cl: 42–54). Seropositivity ...
• Mycobacterium genotypes in pulmonary tuberculosis infections and their detection by trained African giant pouched rats 

  Mgode, G. F.; Cohen-Bacrie, S.; Bedotto, M.; Weetjens, B. J.; Cox, C.; Jubitana, M.; Kuipers, D.; Machang’u, R. S.; Kazwala, R.; Mfinanga, S.G.; Kaufmann, S. H. E.; Drancourt, M. (Springer Science+Business, 2015)

  Tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis in low-income countries is mainly done by microscopy. Hence, little is known about the diversity of Mycobacterium spp. in TB infections. Different genotypes or lineages of Mycobacte- rium ...
• The pattern of reproduction in the mole-rat Heliophobius from Tanzania: do not refrain during the long rains! 

  Ngalameno, M. K.; Bastos, A. D. S.; Mgode, G.; Bennett, N. C. (NRC Research Press, 2016)

  The genus Heliophobius Peters, 1846 comprises at least six cryptic, topotypical species in the Heliophobius argenteocinereus Peters, 1846 species complex. The current study investigated the breeding patterns of a wild-caught ...
• Pediatric tuberculosis detection using trained African giant pouched rats 

  Mgode, G. F.; Cox, C. L.; Mwimanzi, S.; Mulder, C. (2018 International Pediatric Research Foundation, Inc., 2018)

  BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis in children is a challenge with up to 94% of children with TB treated empirically in TB high-burden countries. Therefore, new diagnostic tests are needed for TB diagnosis. We ...
• Winning the fight against rodent pests: Recent developments in Tanzania 

  Mulungu, L. S.; Ngowo, D. V.; Makundi, R. H.; Massawe, A. W.; Leirs, H. (Asian Network for Scientific Information, 2010)

  Rodent management programs in Tanzania have been reactive and did not consider the population ecology of the target species. The strategies used to manage rodents were probably most suited to managing low-density rodent ...
• Accuracy of giant African pouched rats for diagnosing tuberculosis: comparison with culture and Xpert W MTB/RIF 

  Mulder, C.; Mgode, G. F.; Ellis, H.; Valverde, E.; Beyene, N.; Cox, C.; Reid, S. E.; Van’t Hoog, A. H.; Edwards, T. L. (Researchgate, 2017)

  S E T T I N G : Enhanced tuberculosis (TB) case finding using detection rats in Tanzania. O B J E C T I V E S : To assess the diagnostic accuracy of detection rats compared with culture and Xpert w MTB/ RIF, and to ...
• Effectiveness of the Domestic Cat (Felis silvestris catus) Urine Extracts Odour against Commensal Rodents 

  Mulungu, L. S.; Ngowo, V.; Mdangi, M. E.; Magadula, A. J. J.; Kapingu, M.; Mbukwa, E.; Mgina, C. A.; Mwatawala, M. W.; Kichuki, M.; Mwakalobo, A. S.; Mgode, G. F. (Huria Journal, 2017)

  The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an extract of cat urine odour as a repellant of commensal rodents in houses. Cat urine was drawn and stored frozen in universal bottles at -20 0 C until use. The ...
• From pests to tests: training rats to diagnose tuberculosis 

  Fiebig, L.; Beyene, N.; Burny, R.; Fast, C. D.; Cox, C.; Mgode, G. F. (ERS 2020, 2020)

  2020 is the year of the rat. The rat is the first of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs, and represents spirit, alertness, flexibility and vitality. In respiratory medicine, we may think of rats as vectors for diseases, such as ...
• Relic populations of Fukomys mole- rats in Tanzania: description of two new species F. livingstoni sp. nov. and F. hanangensis sp. nov. 

  Faulkes, C. G.; Mgode, G. F.; Archer, E. K.; Bennett, N. C. (Faulkes / PeerJ, 2017-04-27)

  Previous studies of African mole-rats of the genera Heliophobius and Fukomys (Bathy- ergidae) in the regions of East and south central Africa have revealed a diversity of species and vicariant populations, with patterns ...
• Seroprevalence of Leptospira infection in bats roosting in human settlements in Morogoro municipality in Tanzania 

  Mgode, G. F.; Mbugi, H. A.; Mhamphi, G. G.; Ndanga, D.; Nkwama, E. L. (Tanzania Journal of Health Research, 2014)

  Leptospirosis is a neglected emerging infectious disease with high burden in Africa. Major reservoirs of leptospirosis are rodents and other small mammals. Studies of leptospirosis in bats and the extent to which they ...
• Evaluation of short-, mid- and long-term effects of toe clipping on a wild rodent 

  Leirs, H.; Makundi, R. H.; Sluydts, V.; Borremans, B. (Wildlife Research, 2015)

  Context. Toe clipping is a widely used method for permanent marking of small mammals, but its effects are not well known, despite the ethical and scientific implications. Most studies do not find any clear effects, but ...

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