Nigeria, with a population of over 190 million people, is rated among the 10 countries with the highest burden of infectious and zoonotic diseases globally. In Nigeria, there exist a sub-optimal surveillance system to monitor and track priority zoonoses. We therefore conducted a prioritization of zoonotic diseases for the first time in Nigeria to guide prevention and control efforts. Towards this, a two-day in-country consultative meeting involving experts from the human, animal, and environmental health backgrounds prioritized zoonotic diseases using a modified semi-quantitative One Health Zoonotic Disease Prioritization tool in July 2017. Overall, 36 of 52 previously selected zoonoses were identified for prioritization. Five selection criteria were used to arrive at the relative importance of prioritized diseases based on their weighted score. Overall, this zoonotic disease prioritization process marks the first major step of bringing together experts from the human-animal-environment health spectrum in Nigeria. Importantly, the country ranked rabies, avian influenza, Ebola Virus Disease, swine influenza and anthrax as the first five priority zoonoses in Nigeria. Finally, this One Health approach to prioritizing important zoonoses is a step that will help to guide future tracking and monitoring of diseases of grave public health importance in Nigeria.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a vector-borne viral hemorrhagic disease with global clinical significance. Certain species of ticks are vectors of CCHF, which can be transmitted from animals to humans and humans to humans by direct exposure to blood or other body fluids. The zoonotic transmission at the human–animal interface from viremic animal hosts to humans is a public health concern with a paucity of data in Nigeria. Samples from 184 pastoral cattle from three local government areas (LGAs) of Plateau state, Nigeria, were screened for CCHF virus using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ID Screen® CCHF Double Antigen for Multi-Species). Overall seropositivity of 30.4% (n = 56) (95% CI: 23.88%, 37.63%) was recorded from the study areas in Plateau State, while 48/126 (38.1%, 95% CI: 29.59%, 47.17%) sampled cows tested positive for CCHFV antibodies. Seropositivity was significantly higher (p < 0.001) among older cattle greater than two years, 54.69% (95% CI: 2.88%, 11.24%) compared to cattle younger than two years, 17.5% (95% CI: 11.17%, 25.50%). The location of farms played a significant role in the seropositivity of CCHF with the least risk observed in Wase LGA. CCHF is an important zoonotic disease in different parts of the globe with a high risk of transmission to pastoralists, livestock keepers/slaughterhouse workers, and veterinarians who handle animals. There is a need for a collaborative one-health approach with various stakeholders to unravel the dynamics of CCHFV epidemiology in Nigeria.

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Porcine rotaviruses are potential reservoirs for genetic exchange with human rotaviruses. A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence of porcine Rotavirus antigen and associated risk factors in pig-raising communities and institutional piggeries in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. A total of 376 faecal samples from pigs of all ages were collected from backyard and institutional piggeries by convenience sampling. The faecal samples collected were analysed using commercially available ELISA kit: BioK 343/2, for the antigenic diagnosis of rotavirus in porcine faeces. The overall prevalence of rotavirus antigen in pigs was 9.8 % (37/376). Piglets (10.4 %) had a higher prevalence than adults (9.1 %), while males (10.1 %) were more infected than females (9.6 %). Breed-specific prevalences revealed 5.9 %, 12 % and 15.5 % for local, exotic and cross-breeds, respectively. There was a significant association between breed (P < 0.05) (Odds Ratio OR = 2.927; 95 % Confidence Interval CI on OR = 1.288—6.653) and rotavirus infection. Management system revealed 14 % and 8.2 % prevalence for intensive and semi-intensive systems, respectively. There is evidence of Rotavirus infection (9.8 %) in pigs in Zaria, and the breed is a risk factor. This study provides the first data on the prevalence of rotavirus and risk factors of rotavirus infection among pigs in Zaria and environs, Kaduna state, Nigeria. There is a need to enlighten the public on the zoonotic implication and economic impacts of rotavirus infections.