Peste-des-petits-ruminants (PPR), a major small ruminant transboundary animal disease, is endemic in Nigeria. Strains of the causal agent, peste-des-petitsruminants virus (PPRV), have been differentiated into four genetically distinct lineages based on the partial sequence of the virus nucleoprotein (N) or fusion (F) genes. Peste-des-petits-ruminants virus strains that were identified initially in Africa were grouped into lineages I, II and III and viruses from Asia were classified as lineage IV and referred to as the Asian lineage. Many recent reports indicate that the Asian lineage is now also present in Africa. With this in mind, this study was conducted to reassess the epidemiology of PPRV in Nigeria. A total of 140 clinical samples from 16 sheep and 63 goats with symptoms suggestive of PPR were collected from different states of Nigeria during a four-year period (2010)(2011)(2012)(2013). They were analysed by the amplification of fragments of the N gene. Results for 33 (42%) animals were positive. The phylogenetic analysis of the N gene sequences with those available in GenBank showed that viruses that were detected belong to both lineage II and IV. Based on an analysis of the N gene sequences, the lineage IV isolates grouped into two clades, one being predominant in the north-eastern part of the country and the other found primarily in the southern regions of the country. This study reports the presence of PPRV Asian lineage IV in Nigeria for the first time.

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Peste des petits ruminants (PPR), a viral disease of sheep and goats, is endemic in Nigeria. There are reports indicating the involvement of peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV), the causative agent of PPR, in a camel respiratory syndrome in Africa. Considering that camels share the same grazing land and drinking points with other ruminants, this study was undertaken to determine the seroprevalence and extent of PPRV antibodies in Nigerian camels. A total of 1517 camel sera samples were collected from four states (Borno, Kano, Kastina and Sokoto). The seroprevalence was determined by the H-protein-based competitive ELISA. The overall prevalence was 3.36% (51/1517, 95% confidence interval of 2.51-4.39%). There was no significant differences in prevalence between states (p = 0.8921) and between male and female camels (p = 0.7424). The prevalence differed significantly (p < 0.00001) by body condition score; camels with poor body condition score has higher (16.67%) antibody seroprevalence to PPR compared to those with fair and good body condition score. There was a statistically significant difference between camels aged ≤ 5 years and those >5 years (p = 0.0042). These results show occasional transient PPRV infection of camels in Nigeria, and there is the need to include camels among species to be studied in elucidating the epidemiology of the disease in sheep and goats.

Peste‐des‐petits‐ruminants (PPR) and Goat pox (GTP) are two devastating and economically important transboundary animal diseases of small ruminants in Africa and Asia that have been difficult to control. This study however, investigated an outbreak of PPR and GTP in a mixed flock of indigenous sheep and goats in Kanam, North Central Nigeria. A total of nine sera and seven tissues (lungs, spleen, scab and skin) samples were collected and analysed in the laboratory using competitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) for PPR antibodies and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of PPR virus (PPRV) and GTP virus (GTPV). Gene fragments of the nucleoprotein of PPRV and the G‐protein‐coupled chemokine receptor (GPCR) of GTPV were amplified and sequenced to confirm the presence of the causative viruses. Serologically, antibodies to PPRV were detected in all (9/9) sera collected. GTPV and PPRV was detected in corresponding samples (42.8% n = 3/7) of the scab/skin samples collected by both PCR and RT‐PCR technique. The phylogenetic analysis of PPRV revealed that the virus belongs to lineage IV and clustered with viruses from Gabon and Cameroon. Similarly, the GTPV also clustered with other sequences from Burkina Faso and Yemen. The positive cELISA, RT‐PCR and PCR results from samples collected from the same animals confirmed co‐infection of PPR and GTP in this mixed flock of sheep and goats. This is the first report of concurrent infection of PPR and GTP in mixed flock of sheep and goats in Nigeria. Our findings underscore the need for farmers to vaccinate their flock to control spread and economic losses as result of these diseases.

Peste des petits ruminants, caused by the peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV), is a highly contagious and economically important transboundary viral disease of domestic and wild small ruminants and a major hindrance to small-ruminant production in Nigeria. The seroprevalence and distribution of PPRV antibodies in small ruminants in rural households, farms, live animal markets and slaughter slabs across the six different agro-ecological zones of Nigeria were determined. A total of 4548 serum samples from 3489 goats and 1059 sheep were collected in 12 states. A PPRV competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to test the samples and the data analysed with R statistical software version 3.0.1. The study animals included all ages and both sexes. The overall prevalence estimate of sera positive for PPRV antibodies was 23.16% (n = 1018 positive samples per 4548 total samples, 95% confidence interval: 21.79% - 24.57%). There were significant differences in the seroprevalence between the states (p = 0.001). Taraba State had the highest seroprevalence of 29.51%, whilst the lowest seroprevalence of 14.52% was observed in Cross River State. There were no significant differences in the PPRV seroprevalence between male and female animals (p = 0.571), age (p = 0.323) and between species (p = 0.639). These data indicate the current seroprevalence to PPRV in the small-ruminant population in Nigeria.

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Background: Sixty (60) male West African Dwarf goats were reported with clinical signs of enlarged lymph nodes, scabs on the mouth, nose and ears. Two of the goats died and post mortem examination reveals enlarged submandibular lymph nodes and vesicular lesions on the tongue. Clinical diagnosis of Orf has been reported in Nigeria but this report is the confirmatory diagnosis of Orf in a suspected outbreak in an experimental farm in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria using molecular techniques. Materials and Methods: Scabs, spleen and lymph node samples from goats suspected to have died from Orf were collected, transported on ice to the laboratory and homogenized. The DNA was extracted using QIAmp DNA minikit (Qiagen) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Orf virus (ORFV) was amplified using published ORFV specific primers by PCR. Results: Morbidity and mortality were 100% and 3.3% respectively, while ORFV was detected by PCR. Diagnosis of Orf was confirmed based on clinical signs of enlarged lymph nodes, scabs on the mouth, nose and ears, necropsy findings of enlarged submandibular lymph nodes and vesicular lesions on the tongue and PCR results. Conclusion: This may be the first report of molecular diagnosis of Orf in Nigeria. The 100% morbidity and 3.3% mortality rate is higher than previously reported thus Orf is becoming of greater economic importance than previously thought. It is therefore recommended that routine laboratory diagnosis of Orf be carried nationwide to determine the prevalence of Orf in Nigeria.