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Prevalence and antibiogram profile of Mycobacterium spp. in poultry and its environments Full text
2015
Reza, Md. Rubayet | Lijon, Md. Bakhtiar | Khatun, Mst. Minara | Islam, Md. Ariful
In this study, an attempt was undertaken to know the prevalence and antibiogram profile of Mycobacterium spp. in poultry and its immediate environments. A total of 130 samples comprising of droppings (n=80), egg washing (n=18), drinking water (n=14), hand washing from farm workers (n=6) and litter (n=12) were collected from six poultry farms located in and around Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU). Samples were inoculated onto 7H10 Middlebrook agar and incubated aerobically at 37ºC for 7-14 days. Identification of Mycobacterium spp. was performed by colonial morphology, acid fast staining, and biochemical tests. Molecular identification of Mycobacterium spp. at genus level was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting 65-kDa heat shock protein gene. Antibiogram profile of Mycobacterium spp. was performed against five antibiotics namely Rifampin, Azithromycin, Ciprofloxacin, Streptomycin and Doxycycline by disc diffusion method. Three Mycobacterium spp. were isolated from dropping samples of poultry. The overall prevalence of Mycobacterium spp. was 2.3% (n=3/130). All the isolates were resistant to Rifampin and sensitive to Azithromycin and Ciprofloxacin. Data of this study indicated that multidrug resistant Mycobacterium spp. are prevalent in the poultry farms of the study area which underscore the need of implementation of good biosecurity to poultry husbandry practice to ensure poultry and human health.http://dx.doi.org/10.5455/javar.2015.b118
Show more [+] Less [-]Assessment of immune response in cattle against experimentally prepared trivalent (O, A, and Asia-1) FMD vaccine in Bangladesh Full text
2015
Chowdhury, Md. Mashfiqur Rahman | Hossen, Md. Liakot | Amin, Khaled Bin | Nazir, K. H. M. Nazmul Hussain | Ahmed, Sultan | Rahman, Marzia | Khan, Mohammad Ferdousur Rahman | Rahman, Md. Tanvir | Rahman, Md. Bahanur
This research work was conducted to investigate the effects of age, sex and breed on the induction of immune response against experimentally prepared inactivated trivalent (type O, A, and Asia-1) FMD vaccine. Twenty six cattle were divided into four test groups (Group A, B, C, and D; 5 cattle in each group) and one control group (n=6) based on breed (local and cross), age (?12 months and >12 months), and sex (male and female). Test cattle were vaccinated with the experimentally prepared trivalent FMD vaccine. Pre- and post vaccinated sera from the vaccinated cattle were collected upto 63 days, and the sera were tested using liquid phase blocking enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (LPBE) that was specific for FMD serotypes O, A, and Asia-1. Antibody titers of all the pre-vaccinated serum samples were found to be under protection level. The females were found to be more protected (90%; n=9/10) as compared to males (70%; n=7/10). The titers obtained were statistically analyzed using ttest to observe the effects of age, breed and sex. It was observed that the mean values of antibody titer in cattle aging >12 months against O, A, and Asia-1 serotypes were significant (P<0.05) at 21, 49 and 63 days as compared to the values obtained from the cattle aging ?12 months. In conclusion, the local female cattle aging >12 months showed better immune response towards trivalent FMD vaccine. http://dx.doi.org/10.5455/javar.2015.b121
Show more [+] Less [-]Spatio-temporal patterns and movement analysis of pigs from smallholder farms and implications for African swine fever spread, Limpopo province, South Africa Full text
2015
Fasina, Folorunso O. | Mokoele, Japhta M. | Spencer, B. Tom | van Leengoed, Leo A.M.L. | Bevis, Yvette | Booysen, Ingrid | Limpopo Department of Agriculture | Department of production Animal Studies
Infectious and zoonotic disease outbreaks have been linked to increasing volumes of legal and illegal trade. Spatio-temporal and trade network analyses have been used to evaluate the risks associated with these challenges elsewhere, but few details are available for the pig sector in South Africa. Regarding pig diseases, Limpopo province is important as the greater part of the province falls within the African swine fever control area. Emerging small-scale pig farmers in Limpopo perceived pig production as an important means of improving their livelihood and an alternative investment. They engage in trading and marketing their products with a potential risk to animal health, because the preferred markets often facilitate potential longdistance spread and disease dispersal over broad geographic areas. In this study, we explored the interconnectedness of smallholder pig farmers in Limpopo, determined the weaknesses and critical control points, and projected interventions that policy makers can implement to reduce the risks to pig health. The geo-coordinates of surveyed farms were used to draw maps, links and networks. Predictive risks to pigs were determined through the analyses of trade networks, and the relationship to previous outbreaks of African swine fever was postulated. Auction points were identified as high-risk areas for the spread of animal diseases. Veterinary authorities should prioritise focused surveillance and diagnostic efforts in Limpopo. Early disease detection and prompt eradication should be targeted and messages promoting enhanced biosecurity to smallholder farmers are advocated. The system may also benefit from the restructuring of marketing and auction networks. Since geographic factors and networks can rapidly facilitate pig disease dispersal over large areas, a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding the complexities that exist around the animal disease epidemiology becomes mandatory.
Show more [+] Less [-]Time-series analysis of ruminant foetal wastage at a slaughterhouse in North Central Nigeria between 2001 and 2012 Full text
2015
Alhaji, Nma B. | Odetokun, Ismail A. | Shittu, Aminu | Onyango, Joshua | Chafe, Umar M. | Abubakar, Muhammed S. | Muraina, Issa A. | Fasina, Folorunso O. | Lee, Hu Suk | Minna Metropolitan Abattoir and Niger state government, Nigeria
In developing countries, foetal wastage from slaughtered ruminants and the associated economic losses appear to be substantial. However, only a limited number of studies have comprehensively evaluated these trends. In the current study, secondary (retrospective) and primary data were collected and evaluated to estimate the prevalence of foetal wastage from cattle, sheep and goats slaughtered at an abattoir in Minna, Nigeria, over a 12-year period (January 2001 – December 2012). Time-series modelling revealed substantial differences in the rate of foetal wastage amongst the slaughtered species, with more lambs having been wasted than calves or kids. Seasonal effects seem to influence rates of foetal wastage and certain months in the year appear to be associated with higher odds of foetal wastage. Improved management systems are suggested to reduce the risk of foetal losses.
Show more [+] Less [-]Pre-slaughter, slaughter and post-slaughter defects of skins and hides at the Sheba Tannery and Leather Industry, Tigray region, northern Ethiopia Full text
2015
Kahsay, Tesfay | Negash, Guesh | Hagos, Yohannes | Hadush, Birhanu | Mekelle University
Skins and hides are perishable resources that can be damaged by parasitic diseases and human error, which result in downgrading or rejection. This study was conducted to identify defect types and to determine their prevalence in pickled sheep and wet blue goat skins and wet blue hides. Each selected skin or hide was examined for defects in natural light and the defects were graded according to established quality criteria in Ethiopian standard manuals. Major defects were captured by digital photography. The major pre-slaughter defects included scratches (64.2%), cockle (ekek) (32.8%), wounds or scars (12.6%), lesions from pox or lumpy skin disease (6.1%), poor substance (5%), branding marks (2.3%) and tick bites (1.5%). The presence of grain scratches in wet blue hides (76.3%) was significantly higher than in pickled sheep (67.2%) and wet blue goat (59.1%) skins. The major slaughter defects included flay cuts or scores, holes, poor pattern and vein marks, with a higher occurrence in wet blue goat skins (28.7%; P 0.001) than in wet blue hides (22.8%) and pickled sheep skins (11.1%). The most prevalent postslaughter defects were grain cracks (14.9%), hide beetle damage (8%), damage caused by heat or putrefaction (3.7%) and machine-induced defects (0.5%). Grain cracks (27.04%) and hide beetle damage (13.9%) in wet blue goat skins were significantly more common than in wet blue hides and pickled sheep skins. These defects cause depreciation in the value of the hides and skins. Statistically significant (P 0.001) higher rejection rates were recorded for wet blue hides (82.9%) than for pickled sheep skins (18.3%) and wet blue goat skins (8.5%). Improved animal health service delivery, effective disease control strategies and strong collaboration between stakeholders are suggested to enhance the quality of skins and hides.
Show more [+] Less [-]The occurrence of Culicoides species, the vectors of arboviruses, at selected trap sites in Zimbabwe Full text
2015
Gordon, Stuart J.G. | Bolwell, Charlotte | Rogers, Chris | Musuka, Godfrey | Kelly, Patrick | Labuschagne, Karien | Guthrie, Alan J. | Denison, Eric | Mellor, Philip S. | Hamblin, Chris
A study of the distribution of Culicoides species was conducted by establishing 12 light trap sites over five rainy seasons between 1998 and 2003 covering all the geo-climatic natural regions of Zimbabwe. In total, 279 919 specimens of Culicoides were trapped over a total of 163 trapping nights. The highest median counts of Culicoides per trapping night were recorded in natural region III, which has climatic conditions conducive to the successful development of the larvae. Culicoides imicola, the major vector of bluetongue and African horse sickness viruses in Africa, was found to be the most abundant species (80.4%), followed by Culicoides enderleini (5.9%) and Culicoides milnei (5.2%). This study identified 10 species of Culicoides that had not been previously described in Zimbabwe, including Culicoides loxodontis and Culicoides miombo, which are members of the C. imicola complex. A total of 23 994 Culicoides midges were collected from five trap sites in Harare, Zimbabwe, with the dominant species, C. imicola, representing 91.6% of the total collection. Seventeen arboviruses were isolated from these midges, 15 of which were bluetongue virus. The predominant bluetongue virus serotype was serotype 11, followed by serotypes 1, 8, 12 and 15. Bluetongue virus serotypes 1, 2, 8, 10, 12, 15, 16 and 18, detected in this study, had not been previously reported in Zimbabwe.
Show more [+] Less [-]A survey of the causes of cattle organs and/or carcass condemnation, financial losses and magnitude of foetal wastage at an abattoir in Dodoma, Tanzania Full text
2015
Tembo, Wilfred | Nonga, Hezron E. | African Development Bank (ADB) through the SADC-TADs project
Slaughterhouses provide a safeguard that prevents the public from consuming meat of poor quality or meat which may be infected with zoonotic diseases. This work reviews a 3-year database of cattle that were slaughtered and inspected between 2010 and 2012 at Dodoma abattoir, Tanzania. In addition, meat inspection was undertaken for 1 month (December 2013). The aim of this study was to establish causes of organ and carcass condemnations and their financial implications as well as the magnitude of slaughter of pregnant cows at Dodoma abattoir. During retrospective study, it was found that a total of 9015 (10.5%) lungs, 6276 (7.3%) intestines, 5402 (6.3%) livers, 3291 (3.8%) kidneys and 41 (0.05%) carcasses were condemned. Pulmonary emphysema (3.4%), fasciolosis (4.5%), pimply gut (5.7%), kidney congenital cysts (1.9%) and hydatidosis (3.1%) were major causes of organ condemnations. This large number of condemned edible organs and/or carcasses implies that public health considerations result in deprivation of valuable protein. Occurrence of hydatidosis, cysticercosis, fasciolosis and tuberculosis illustrates the possible public health problem and presence of environmental infections. Of the 794 cows slaughtered in December 2013, 46% were pregnant. Financial loss as a result of organ and/or carcass condemnations was estimated at $9892. Condemnation of organs and/or carcasses and indiscriminate slaughter of pregnant cows represent a significant loss of meat and revenue and a reduction in growth of future herds, which has a negative effect on the livestock industry. This justifies appropriate surveillance and disease control programmes coupled with strict enforcement of legislation governing animal welfare to curb the slaughter of pregnant animals.
Show more [+] Less [-]Safety and immunogenicity of Onderstepoort Biological Products’ Rift Valley fever Clone 13 vaccine in sheep and goats under field conditions in Senegal Full text
2015
Lo, Modou M. | Mbao, Victor | Sierra, Pascale | Thiongane, Yaya | Diop, Mariame | Donadeu, Meritxell | Dungu, Baptiste | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation & the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID).
This blinded field safety study was conducted in Senegal to assess safety and immunogenicity of administration of the registered dose of Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) Clone 13 vaccine (Onderstepoort Biological Products) to sheep and goats of West African breeds under natural conditions. A total of 267 small ruminants (220 sheep, 47 goats) were included; half received RVFV Clone 13 vaccine at the recommended dose and half received the diluent (as placebo) only. The study was performed on three commercial farms in the northern and eastern region of Senegal in accordance with veterinary good clinical practices. The animals were observed daily for 3 days after vaccination, and then weekly for 1 year. In both sheep and goats vaccinated against RVFV seroconversion rates above 70% were recorded. No seroconversion related to RVFV was observed in placebo-treated animals. No statistically significant differences were determined between placebo and vaccinated groups for mean rectal temperatures for the first 3 days after administration (p 0.05). No abnormal clinical signs related to treatment were noted, and only one slight injection site reaction was observed in one vaccinated animal for 2 days after vaccination. Out of 176 births assessed over 1 year (93 from the vaccinated group, 83 from the placebo group), 9 were abnormal in the placebo group and 3 in the vaccinated group (p 0.05). The frequency of adverse events was similar in the placebo and vaccinated groups. RVFV Clone 13 vaccine administered according to the manufacturer’s instructions was safe and well tolerated in West African breeds of sheep and goats, including animals of approximately 6 months of age and pregnant females, under field conditions in Senegal. Antibody levels persisted up to 1 year after vaccination.
Show more [+] Less [-]Thoracic limb morphology of the red panda (Ailurus fulgens) evidenced by osteology and radiography Full text
2015
Makungu, Modesta | Groenewald, Hermanus B. | du Plessis, Wencke M. | Barrows, Michelle | Koeppel, Katja N. | Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), University of Pretoria, Johannesburg Zoo and Bristol Zoo
The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is distributed primarily in the Himalayas and southern China. It is classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The aim of this study was to describe the normal osteology and radiographic anatomy of the thoracic limb of the red panda. Radiography of the right thoracic limb was performed in seven captive adult red pandas. Radiographic findings were correlated with bone specimens from three adult animals. The scapula was wide craniocaudally and presented with a large area for the origin of the teres major muscle. The square-shaped major tubercle did not extend proximal to the head of the humerus. The medial epicondyle was prominent. A supracondylar foramen was present. The radial tuberosity and sesamoid bone for the abductor digiti I longus were prominent. The accessory carpal bone was directed palmarolaterally. Metacarpal bones were widely spread. The thoracic limb morphology of the red panda evidenced by osteology and radiography indicated flexibility of the thoracic limb joints and well-developed flexor and supinator muscles, which are important in arboreal quadrupedal locomotion. Knowledge gained during this study may prove useful in identifying skeletal material or remains and diagnosing musculoskeletal diseases and injuries of the thoracic limb.
Show more [+] Less [-]The prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in sheep in the Western Cape, South Africa Full text
2015
Hammond-Aryee, Kenneth | van Helden, Lesley S. | van Helden, Paul D. | The author acknowledges financial support from the | SA MRC Centre for TB Research DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Stellenbosch Unive
The seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in a sample of 292 merino sheep farmed in a semi-intensive manner in the Overberg region of the Western Cape, South Africa, was investigated. Antibody seroprevalence was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Of the total sample, 23 sheep tested positive for T. gondii antibodies (8%; 95% CI: 4.7688–10.9846). There was no statistically significant relationship between seroprevalence and age of the sheep. The highest seroprevalence was found in sheep between 28 and 40 months old; a total of 19 sheep were seropositive by 40 months. No seropositive sheep were found in the age group between 16 and 28 months. The seroprevalence reported in this study is higher than what has previously been reported for the Western Cape (6%) and across South Africa on average (4.7%). As sheep farming is economically significant in South Africa, the presence of T. gondii amongst sheep may pose a production threat to the small-stock industry as well as to public health and food security. We therefore recommend further surveillance to identify high-risk animal populations so that local control measures can be put in place.
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