Salmonella spp and Escherichia coli are the two most important food-borne pathogens of public health interest incriminated in poultry meat worldwide. This study is to access their levels in frozen poultry meat obtained in Ibadan, Oyo State and compare those obtained from a commercial Nigerian-registered poultry company having a broiler-processing plant, Sayed Farms Ltd(R), with that obtained from retail stores. These retail stores source their products as illegal imports from neighboring Benin Republic or Togo because of a ban imposed by Government policy in Nigeria since July 2002 (USDA, GAIN report #NI2025:1-6, 2002).Microbiological Standards and Guidelines by USDA (National Agricultural library) (USDA 2011) and NCCLS guidelines (from Global Salm-Surv, 2003) were used during the research work. The study was approved by the Ethical Research Review Board (ERRB, Research Management Office 2011), University of Ibadan, Nigeria. A total of one hundred and fifty-two (152) frozen poultry meat samples comprising ninety-nine retail poultry (53 chicken and 46 turkey) and 53 chicken from the processing plant were accessed. ISO Standards catalogue 07.100.30 (2011) was used in accessing the levels of Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Enterobacteriaceae counts and Aerobic plate count. ISO 6579: 2002 was used for Salmonella isolation and ISO-16654:2001 for Escherichia coli isolation.There was a higher level of Aerobic plate counts and Enterobacteriaceae counts in frozen retail poultry meat than from the processing plant. Salmonella contamination from the ninety-nine poultry samples (53 chicken and 46 turkey) obtained from retail markets was at 33% [chicken 32.1% (17/53) and turkey 34.8% (16/46)] while Escherichia coli at 43.4% [chicken 47.2% (25/53) and turkey 39.1% (18/46)]. From the processing plant, twelve (12) Salmonella isolates were obtained and prevalence rate calculated as 22.6% while three (3) Escherichia coli isolates at 5.7% was obtained.Antibiotic sensitivity for isolates using eight different Gram-negative antibiotics showed different resistance patterns. Nitrofurantion and augmentin showed a decrease in their sensitivity to isolates than they normally should. Salmonella enterica spp. showed 93% resistance to tetracycline and 100% resistance to augmentin and amoxicillin, while Escherichia coli showed 100% resistance to augmentin and amoxicillin.

Despite a long history of dog-transmitted human rabies outbreaks in Liberia, West Africa, no reports exist of molecular characterisation of the causative lyssaviruses. This study investigated Rabies lyssavirus (RABV) strains isolated at the dog–human interface in Monrovia, Liberia 2016 and 2017, by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, using primers specific for the nucleoprotein (N) gene. Out of 20 specimens (19 dog brain samples and one human saliva) tested as suspected rabies cases, three (15%) were positive. Purified amplicons from all three positive specimens were sequenced in both forward and reverse directions. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted in MEGA7 and PhyML3 to determine their relationship with RABV sequences accessioned in NCBI GenBank. The first of three RABV strains detected clustered with China lineage 2 RABVs of dogs (99% homology to KU963489 and DQ666322). The second strain segregated with Africa lineage 2 RABVs also of dog origin, and the third strain segregated with Africa lineage 3 RABVs of Southern Africa viverrids. Our results show a transcontinental strain of rabies virus co-circulating with Africa lineages in post-conflict Liberia. This finding should stimulate more effective sub-regional planning and execution of one-health actions, towards stepwise surveillance and elimination of rabies in West Africa by 2030.

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This study was designed to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors associated with foot-andmouth disease (FMD) seropositivity in north central, Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was undertaken from February 2013 to April 2014 using 1206 sera from 150 herds collected by multi-stage and random sampling methods. Pre-tested questionnaire were also administered to participating farmers to collect information on the animal herd structure, movement pattern, management system and herds contact at watering points. Samples collected were tested for evidence of FMD antibodies using the 3ABC nonstructural antibodies enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The overall seroprevalence of FMD in North-Central Nigeria was found to be 70.98% (95% CI: 68.37-73.49). FMD seroprevalence was found to be higher in Niger State 85.4% (95% CI: 83.46-88.03) relative to Plateau State 54.2% (95% CI: 50.12-58.16), which was statistically associated with FMD seropositivity (P<0.05). Risk factors such as sex, management system, trans-boundary crossing and herd mixing at the watering point were found to be statistically associated with FMD seropositivity (p<0.05). This confirms that FMD is enzootic in the study area and control of foot and mouth disease in Nigeria using animal movement control and vaccination is therefore advocated.

Aim:This study aimed to determine the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotypes circulating, the prevalence of FMDV serotypes, and the spatial distribution of FMDV among sedentary and pastoral cattle herds in the North-Central Nigeria.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional study was undertaken, during which a total of 155 sera that tested positive for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) 3ABC non-structural protein antibodies were selected and screened for FMD structural protein serotypes, A, O, SAT 1, and SAT 2 using a solid-phase competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Epithelial tissue specimens were collected during outbreak investigations which were tested for FMD using an antigen capture ELISA for serotype A, O, SAT 1, and SAT 2.Results:An overall serotype-specific prevalence of 79.35 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 72.4-85.18) was recorded for serotype O, 65.2% (95% CI: 57.41-72.3) for serotype A, 52.9% (95% CI: 45.03-60.67) for SAT 2, and 33.55% (95% CI: 26.45-41.26) for SAT 1. Evidence of exposure to multiple FMDV serotypes showed that 12.26% of the sera samples had antibodies against four serotypes circulating, 30.97% had antibodies against three serotypes circulating, 22.58% had antibodies against two serotypes, and 17% showed exposure to only one serotype. Clinical specimens (epithelial tissue) collected during outbreak investigations showed that serotype O has the highest proportion of 50% with serotype A - 25%; SAT 2 - 20.8%; and SAT 1 - 4.1%.Conclusion:The study detected diffuse and co-circulation of serotypes A, O, SAT 1, and SAT 2 within the study area, and hence the need for the appropriately matched multivalent vaccine is strongly advocated for FMD control in Nigeria.

Background and Aim: Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a zoonotic disease of major public health importance, especially in many developing countries, including Nigeria, where control measures are largely not applied, and the risks of human infection are high. This study was aimed at determining the current prevalence of bTB in slaughtered cattle and identifying factors associated with the risk of disease transmission among cattle handlers toward making informed control measures to limit human-animal interface disease transmission. Materials and Methods: Serum samples at slaughter and lesions suggestive of bTB collected during postmortem examination of 187 slaughtered cattle at the Oko–Oba Abattoir, Agege, Lagos State, Nigeria, were subjected to lateral flow and Ziehl–Neelsen (ZN) techniques, respectively. Furthermore, a structured questionnaire was interviewer-administered to 156 cattle handlers to investigate associated exposure factors to bTB infection. Data were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of bTB in cattle was 25.7% and 7.0% by lateral flow technique and ZN, respectively. The seropositivity was highest in cattle with poor body condition (50.0%), then with good (36.4%) and fair (25.0%) body conditions. The questionnaire survey revealed that being in livestock handling business for >6 years (p=0.001), not knowing the mode of transmission (p=0.02) and ignoring TB lesions at slaughter (p=0.02) were exposure factors associated with increased risk of bTB infection among the cattle handlers. Further, multivariate analysis showed that those who spent more than 6 years in livestock handling were about 4 times (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=3.5; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.1-7.6, p=0.01) more likely to be exposed to bTB infection than those with lesser years. Again, respondents who called the attention of meat inspectors on seeing lesions in animals were about 4 times less likely to be exposed to bTB infection than those who ignored it (AOR=0.3; CI=0.1-0.8, p=0.01). Conclusion: This study has reiterated the endemicity of bTB in cattle population in Nigeria, with the prevalence of 25.7% and 7.0% of bTB by lateral flow and ZN techniques, respectively. This portends potential risk for disease transmission at the human-animal interface, particularly at the abattoir setting. The study also identified important knowledge and practice gaps which would enable informed, all-inclusive, and well-directed programs for effective control of the disease in both human and cattle populations.

A cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence of trypanosomosis in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State was carried out on 462 animals (361 cattle and 101 sheep) purposively selected. Blood samples were examined for trypanosomes and the packed cell volume was determined. Biconical traps were set to catch biting flies which were later dissected. The body condition scores of the selected animals were also noted. Out of the 462 blood samples examined, 22 (4.8%) tested positive for trypanosomes. Sheep had higher trypanosome prevalence of 6.9% than cattle 4.2%. The most prevalent species encountered was Trypanosoma vivax (86.4%) followed by T. brucei (13.6%). Trypanosoma vivax was also more predominant in cattle 13 (86.7%) than sheep 6 (85.7%). White Fulani and Red Bororo cattle had 4.2% and 0.0% prevalence, respectively while Yankasa sheep, the only sheep breed sampled, had 6.9%. Male cattle and sheep were more infected with the prevalence rates of 5.0% and 7.4%, respectively than their female counterpart (3.6% for cattle and 6.8% for Sheep). Young cattle (< 3yrs) and sheep (≤ 2yrs) had higher trypanosome infection rates of 5.4% and 9.4% than the adult cattle (≥ 3yrs) and sheep (>2yrs) having the prevalence rates of 3.1% and 4.2% respectively. Poor body conditioned animals had higher trypanosome prevalence (7.3%) than the good body conditioned ones (3.8%). Age, sex, breed and body condition score of animals examined did not influence the infection rate of trypanosome species (p>0.05). The mean PCV ± standard deviation of infected animals (21.73 ± 4.81) was significantly lower than non-infected animals (26.89 ± 4.37) p < 0.05.The study revealed an overall relative low fly density of 0.39 flies/trap/day and flies dissected were negative for trypanosome infection. This present study revealed trypanosome and their vectors are present in the study area. Therefore, improved Veterinary extension services and education should be implemented.

Lassa fever is a deadly viral haemorrhagic fever caused by Lassa Virus (LASV). Rodents, especially, Mystomys natalensis , are the known reservoirs of LASV and humans are the defined hosts. Monkeys share many illnesses with humans and experimental LASV infections in monkeys are fatal but natural LASV infection of monkeys has not been reported. Serum samples obtained between August 2015 and December 2017 from 62 monkeys belonging to six species in Southern Nigeria were tested for LASV as part of an ongoing surveillance of monkeys in the region for zoonotic pathogens. Commercially available Recombinant LASV (ReLASV) Pan-Lassa enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test kits (Zalgen Labs, Germantown, MD, USA) were used to detect antibodies (IgG and IgM) and antigen specific for LASV nucleoprotein in the sera. Lassa-fever-specific IgG and IgM, and antigen specific for LASV nucleoprotein were detected in 5/62, 0/62, and 1/62 samples, respectively. The presence of LASV-specific antibodies in the sera suggests natural exposure to the virus, while the presence of LASV antigen may mean that monkeys are carriers of the virus. There is a need to broaden Lassa fever surveillance to include nonhuman primates (NHPs) for their probable role in the epidemiology of the disease. HIGHLIGHTS Rodents are the natural reservoirs of Lassa fever virus (LASV) and humans are the defined hosts. Experimental LASV infections in non-human primates (NHP) are fatal but natural infection of NHP with the virus have not been reported. We detected antigen and antibody specific for LASV in free-living Monkeys from southern Nigeria which implies that monkeys in the region are naturally exposed to LASV and are probable carriers of the virus.