Antimicrobials are used to maintain good health and productivity of food animals. Misuse of antibiotics in livestock contributes to development of antimicrobial resistance, an emerging One Health issue. This study assessed pastoralists' knowledge and practices regarding antimicrobial usage, explore pathways for resistant pathogens emergence and associated social drivers for antimicrobial misuse in pastoral herds of North-central Nigeria. An interview questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in randomly selected pastoral households. Descriptive and analytical statistical analyses were performed at 95% confidence level. All the 384 pastoralists participated in the study. Majority (58%) of respondents had no formal education. Only 8.1% of respondents knew antibiotic misuse to be when given under-dose and 70.1% of them did not know what misuse entailed. About 58.3% reported self-prescription of antimicrobials used on animals, while 67% of them reported arbitrary applications for dosage determination. Most frequently used antimicrobials were tetracycline (96.6%), tylosin (95.6%) and penicillin (94.0%). Identified pathways for antimicrobial resistant pathogens spread to humans were through contaminated animal products; contaminated animals and fomites; and environmental wastes. Improper antimicrobial usage (p < 0.001), non-enforcement of laws regulating antimicrobial usage (p < 0.001), weak financial status (p < 0.001), low education and expertise (p < 0.001), and nomadic culture (p < 0.001), influenced antimicrobials misuse in livestock. The study revealed low levels of knowledge and practices regarding antimicrobial usage in livestock. Socio-cultural activities significantly influenced antimicrobials misuse in livestock. Improve pastoralists' knowledge about effects of antimicrobials misuse and promotion of prudent usage in livestock will mitigate antimicrobial resistance menace in animals and humans.

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Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a vector-borne re-emerging viral zoonosis that mainly affects poor and marginalized populations in Africa and the Middle East. The study assessed pastoralists' knowledge/awareness and preventive measures towards RVF in Fulani nomadic pastoral communities of Niger State, North-central Nigeria. An interview questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in randomly selected 403 Fulani nomadic pastoral households. Descriptive and analytical statistical analyses were performed. About 97% (389/403) of the pastoralists responded. Majority (74.0%) of them was males and 26.0% was females, while most (65.3%) did not possess formal education. About 85% and 77% of respondents mentioned high mortality in newborns and abortions in pregnant cows, respectively, as signs of RVF in cattle. Also, 50.6% of respondents mentioned high fever as RVF symptoms in humans, while 36.5% reported headache. Pastoralists in age group 70–99 years (OR: 2.69; 95% CI: 1.14, 6.33) and those with tertiary education (OR: 2.53; 95% CI: 1.06, 5.99) were more likely to possess satisfactory knowledge about RVF than others. Extensive husbandry system (OR: 6.16; 95% CI: 3.46, 10.97) as well as culture of borrowing and loaning of cattle (OR: 27.00; 95% CI: 12.67, 57.52) were more likely to influenced RVF occurrence in herds compared to other factors. The survey revealed gaps in levels of knowledge and practices regarding RVF among pastoralists. Socio-cultural activities were key social drivers for RVF occurrence in pastoral herds. The gaps, influenced by socio-demographic and cultural factors, necessitate the need for multidisciplinary approach including anthropologists in RVF preventive education for the pastoralists. Also, cross-disciplinary studies that would increase understanding of social determinants of re-emerging zoonotic diseases are encouraged.

The ecological health status of aquatic environment is a determinant for the survival and growth of organisms within such niche. An investigative study was carried out on four crab species – Cardiosoma armatum, Goniopsis pelli, Callinectes amnicola, Portunus validusinhabiting contaminated sites in Lagos Lagoon- exploring their anti-oxidant defense mechanism in the light of heavy metal concentration in the crab tissues. Amongst the measured heavy metals, cadmium level proved to be significantly highest (P<0.05) with range concentration of 0.42±0.12mg/kg (G. pelli)- 0.79±0.06 mg/kg (C. armatum). Contrastingly, lead was marginally low with concentration below 0.01 mg/kg in all the crab species. Organismal responses to environmental pollution showed a high level of biomarkers. C. armatum was observed to have elevated level of superoxide dismutase (123.04±0.01min/mg/pro), catalase (7.74±0.05min/mg/pro), glutathion transferase (18.21±0.02 Hmol/mg pro), reduced glutathione (2.92±0.04Hmol/mg pro) and glutathione peroxidase (61.85±0.06 Hmol/mg pro) above other species with C. amnicola recording the lowest concentration of the biomarkers. With the low level of heavy metals and corresponding high concentration of these biomarkers, the pollution indices within the study habitat are quite modest.

This study investigates the comparative hepatoprotective activity of crude ethanol extracts of Cuscuta australis against acetaminophen (APAP) intoxication. Thirty-six rats were randomly divided into six groups of 6 replicates: Group 1 which served as control received water. Group 2 was orally administered 835 mg/kg body wt. of paracetamol on day 8. Groups 3 and 4 were orally administered ethanolic extracts of the seed of Cuscuta australis in doses of 125 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg, respectively, for 7 days and then intoxicated as in Group 2 on the 8th day. Groups 5 and 6 received similar oral doses of Cuscuta australis stem extracts for 7 days and then intoxicated as in Groups 3 and 4. Group 2 rats showed severe periportal hepatic necrosis, significantly elevated serum hepatic injury markers, markedly increased lipid peroxidation, and decreased hepatic antioxidant enzymes activities. Remarkably, Cuscuta australis (seed and stem) extract pretreatments in Groups 3, 4, 5, and 6, most especially, the stem extract pretreatment in Groups 5 and 6, improved better the hepatic histoarchitecture, the hepatocellular, and the oxidative stress injury markers in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusively, ethanol extractions of Cuscuta australis stem appear to protect the liver from acetaminophen intoxication better than the seed counterpart.