This review investigates the levels of antibiotic residues in animal products, types of antibiotics, and their possible impact on human health in Africa. The literature search involved the use of a systematic survey using data that were published from Africa from 2015 to 2024. The search terms used the Boolean operators with keywords such as antibiotics, antibiotic residues, antibiotics in animal products in Africa, and impact on human health. Only research conducted in Africa was used in the present study. The findings showed that the most prevalent groups of antibiotic residues were aminoglycoside, macrolides, β-lactams, fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines sulfonamides, and phenicols. Tetracycline showed the most prevalent antibiotic residue with 43% mostly from East Africa, followed by sulfonamides at 19%, and β-lactams at 16%; most of the antibiotic residue levels were higher than the World Health Organization permissible limit. Noncompliance with withdrawal periods and maximum residue limits for antibiotics used in food-producing animals may lead to negative outcomes such as allergic reactions, teratogenicity, carcinogenicity, microbiome alterations, and, most notably, antibiotic resistance. As a result, there is a need for constant monitoring of antibiotic residues in animal products in addition to the consideration of alternatives to antibiotics in order to avoid their health implications.

Background: Adequate knowledge on hazards of healthcare waste and proper handling methods can result in its safe disposal and protection of workers and communities. The study assessed perceptions of healthcare workers on the adherence and risks associated with the practices of healthcare waste management. Methods: A total of 126 questionnaires were administered in selected wards at an academic hospital to establish training and knowledge on legislations regarding healthcare waste and health hazards associated with such waste. Results: Sixty nine percent (69.0%) of participants had received training on healthcare waste handling. The highest number of cleaning staff (85.7%) received training from work while 34.8% of the doctors also received training from work. Only 44.1% of the nurses had knowledge about policies on healthcare waste. The majority of the participants (82.0%) had knowledge on the risks associated with handling of healthcare waste. However, only 20.0% of the participants re-capped needles after use and of these 43.5% were doctors. Most of the nurses (64.0%) had been exposed to needle pricks. Conclusion: Even though 82.0% of the participants believed there were enough management practices enforced with regards to the healthcare waste, it was recommended that there should be more education on the handling of healthcare waste. Keywords: Healthcare waste; perceptions; risks; disposal, management.

Background: The declines in soil fertility associated with insufficient commercial fertilizers have resulted in the use of organic manure (human urine and faeces) as a source of fertilizers for production and cultivation of crop plants. The aim of this study was to assess perceptions of students and workers at the University of Limpopo (Medunsa Campus) regarding the fertilizing effect of urine. Methods: A total of 225 questionnaires were administered to staff and students. The questionnaire sought to establish the knowledge, attitude and behavioural changes as regards the use of urine as a fertilizer for the cultivation of vegetables. Results: Descriptive statistical analysis of the data indicated that 86.8% of the respondents were unaware of any human urine use as a fertilizer, 82.7% and 81.1% would not eat spinach and maize fertilized with urine respectively. Only 38.3% said they would eat vegetables fertilized with animal urine making it more tolerable as compared to human urine. Health reasons were given as the main reasons why respondents were unwilling to eat crops fertilized with human urine. However, 69.9% of the respondents [74.3% females, 69.9% students, 75.0% (27-36) age group] were willing to change their attitudes and unwillingness if they were better informed about the safety of human urine use for agricultural purposes. Conclusion: Education, awareness and reassurance on the importance and safety of urine would have to be done so that urine for agricultural purposes could become more acceptable to people. Keywords: Urine, crops, fertilizers and education

The exploring of biostimulant sources is important for sustainable agriculture. Although all parts of the moringa plant (Moringa oleifera Lam.) are rich in phytohormones and phytochemicals which may be utilised as a potential plant growth enhancer, most attention has been placed on its leaves as a possible biostimulant for enhancing productivity of plants. Little has been reported on moringa seed extract (MSE) as a growth enhancer on medicinal plants. Thus, this study investigated the efficacy of MSE doses (water spray as control, MSE at 2, 4, 6 and 8%) on growth attributes, mineral content and phytochemical compositions of cancer bush plants (Lessertia frutescens L.) grown during the winter–spring and spring–summer seasons of 2021. A gradual increase in growth characteristics, chlorophyll content, phenols and flavonoid contents was recorded in all concentrations of MSE-treated plants compared with controls. Furthermore, all levels of MSE effectively enhanced the concentrations of macronutrients such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium as well as micronutrients comprising copper, zinc, iron, manganese and sodium of cancer bush plants relative to untreated plants. Both 6 and 8% MSE concentrations showed high productivity, minerals and phytochemical constituents in cancer bush plants in comparison with 2 and 4% MSE treatments. Overall, the findings of this study demonstrated that, even at low concentrations, MSE can be successfully applied as a biostimulant to improve the growth and biochemical attributes of cancer bush plants.

Organic farming, which is a form of alternative or sustainable agriculture, makes a major contribution to the improvement of food security globally through recycling of natural resources. This study assessed 60 subsistence farmers’ perceptions of organic farming. Descriptive statistical analyses of randomly selected subsistence farmers indicated that the majority of respondents (80.0%) had previous knowledge of organic farming but had failed to practise it because they could not afford it. In addition, they thought organic fertilizers, such as dry sewage, human faeces and human urine were unacceptable because of their smell, their unhygienic nature and the respondents’ fear of disease epidemics. The female respondents’ order of decreasing preference for organic fertilizers was animal droppings > animal urine > human faeces > sewage > human urine, whereas for males it was chicken droppings > cow dung > animal urine > sewage and human urine > human faeces. Respondents with no high school education regarded chicken droppings most positively as an organic fertilizer (93.2%), followed by cow dung (84.1%), animal urine (66.0%) and human urine (27.3%), whereas the majority of respondents with tertiary education preferred sewage and human faeces as organic fertilizers. Fifty per cent of the respondents showed a willingness to convert to organic farming, dependent on the availability of information and education.