Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health threat for both human and veterinary medicine. Increasing evidence suggests that animals are important sources of AMR to humans; however, most of these studies focus on production animals. In order to determine the pattern of AMR in pets, mainly in dogs in Africa, a meta-analysis was performed with AMR studies conducted in African countries and published between January 2000 and January 2021 in four databases: Medline (PubMed), Scopus, Cab abstract and Google Scholar. Seven bacterial strains, namely Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pyogenes, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (SNC) and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius were included in this study. A total of 18 out of 234 indexed articles met the study criteria. The results revealed that multiple bacteria were resistant to various commonly used antibiotics including enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, amoxicillin, clavulanic acid, cotrimoxazole, streptomycin, tetracycline and chloramphenicol. Concerning multidrug resistance, E. coli strains came first with the highest prevalence of 98%, followed by P. aeroginosa (92%) and Salmonella spp. (53%). In contrast, the overall prevalence of multidrug resistance was low for S. aureus (18%) and S. pseudintermedius (25%). It is therefore urgent to find, as soon as possible, alternatives to replace these antibiotics, which have become ineffective in controlling these bacteria in dogs in Africa. Moreover, further metagenomic studies are needed to describe the full resistome and mobilome in dogs regardless of the bacteria.

Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and avian reovirus (ARV) cause significant losses in the poultry industry throughout the world. A cross-sectional study was conducted in four villages in Manjacaze district, Southern Mozambique, to determine the seroprevalence of IBV and ARV. A total of 467 serum samples from adult unvaccinated backyard chickens were screened using commercial and competitive enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay kits. Our results showed anti-IBV and anti-ARV antibodies in all surveyed households and villages. The overall seroprevalence was 89.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 77.2–97.4) and 95.7% (95% CI: 88.0–99.2) for IBV and ARV, respectively. The risk of becoming exposed to IBV was lower in Chidenguele village compared with the other three villages (p  0.05). However, no statistically significant differences were observed for becoming exposed to ARV between villages (p  0.05). The backyard chickens tested in this study had no previous history of vaccination, outbreaks or typical clinical signs of IB and AR diseases. Therefore, the presence of antibodies to IBV and ARV was considered clear evidence that the birds have been naturally exposed to those two infectious agents, and the infection was of subclinical type. It is concluded that IBV and ARV are widespread in backyard chickens in the studied area. These obtained data are essential for design and implementation of chicken health development programmes.Contribution: The epidemiology of IBV and ARV of backyard chicken in Mozambique is unknown. This study determined the seroprevalence of IBV and ARV in backyard chicken health. The obtained data are essential for design and implementation of chicken health development programmes.

Objective: Gastrointestinal parasites (GIPs) negatively impact small ruminant production and productivity nationwide, particularly in tropical and sub-tropic regions. Amongst other nematodes, Haemonchus contortus, Trichostrongylus colubriformis, and Teladorsagia circumcincta are the most common species in small ruminants’ animals. Thus, this study aimed to investigate communal sheep farmer’s knowledge and attitudes toward GIPs in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between September and November 2018 from three agro-ecological zones, namely, arid region, semi-humid, and humid. All data from this study were analysed with the Statistical Analysis System. Results: Of the total of 107 farmers who participated in the study, 69% were males, and 38% were females. Most livestock owners (85%) were aged >46 years old across all the study areas. The majority of farmers (83%) perceived that their animals are susceptible to wireworm (H. contortus) during the hot-wet season, followed by the hot-dry season (14%), with relatively low during the cold season (2%). Most farmers (85%) interviewed revealed that lambs are more exposed to parasitic infection, than mature sheep (15%) across all agro-ecological zones. An insignificant number of farmers (8%) with knowledge about GIPs life cycle and its biology (92%) across all agro-ecological zones. This study reveals a significant increase in the occurrence of GIPs over the past few years across all agro-ecological, with largely (67%) attributed to the resistance of the strain to deworming remedies and changes in climatic weather patterns (33%). The farming experience was strongly (p < 0.05) associated with the farmer’s gender and age. Helminths were reported significantly higher (p < 0.05) in humid zones than in other agro-ecological zones. Conclusions: This study concludes that most farmers perceived lambs as more susceptible to GIPs than old sheep. Therefore, farmers should be enlightened about the infection and transmission dynamics of the GIPs to develop appropriate control measures against worm infection to boost sheep production in the study area. It was also suggested that farmers should adhere to remedial instruction and adopt rotational deworming programs to avoid anthelmintic resistance. J. Adv. Vet. Anim. Res., 8(4): 351-358, July 2022 http://doi.org/10.5455/javar.2022.i602

Objective: Indonesia is an archipelagic country with a mega biodiversity, among others, in the marine area. Seahorses (Hippocampus spp.) are a marine fish known to have biocompounds used in traditional medicine “Jamu,” such as Hippocampus comes L. (HCL). The present study aims to analyze and compare the chemical contents of cultured seahorse (CS) and natural seahorse (NS) extracts. Materials and Methods: The CS and NS were identified morphometrically. After freeze-drying, the seahorses were ground into powder with a grinder. The seahorse powder was extracted with ethanol and a water solvent. The extract contained biocompounds, proximate, amino acids, and steroids with high-performance liquid chromatography. Results: The study found unique characteristics of HCL. The highest yield was obtained in NS using a water solvent (18.6%). The biocompounds in seahorses consist of alkaloids and triterpenoids. The highest proximate of water content (11.03%) and ash content (42.50%) was found in NS. In addition, other compounds were also detected in CS, such as fat (7.48%) and protein (47.67%). Both of HCL’s different sources had all essential and nonessential amino acids in which the highest concentration were in NS, i.e., L-arginine (56,537.22 mg/kg), L-lysine (17,794.17), glycine (113,649.80 mg/kg), L-proline (47,056.15), and L-alanine (43,451.81). The analysis of the steroid compound of the extract suggested the presence of steroid glycosides. Conclusion: The highest yield of the seahorse extract with a water solvent is about 18.6% and protein content of 47.67% in CS. The crude extract has alkaloids, triterpenoids, and glycine (113,649.80 mg/kg) in NS with water, suggesting the presence of steroid glycosides. J. Adv. Vet. Anim. Res., 8(4): 610–616, December 2022 http://doi.org/10.5455/javar.2022.i630

Objective: The information about risk factors for a high stillbirth rate in piglets is inadequate. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine important risk factors for an extremely high stillbirth rate in a commercial pig farm in Vietnam. Materials and Methods: This study included 628 piglets and 45 Landrace × Yorkshire sows. Data including parity number, gestation length (GL), litter size (LS), piglet’s gender, stillbirth, birth order, birth interval (BI), cumulative farrowing duration (CFD), birth weight (BW), crown-rump length (CRL), body mass index, and ponderal index (PI) were collected. To deal with hierarchical data where several piglets might be born from a sow, Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs) were used to examine the association between stillbirth and investigated risk factors. Results: The stillbirth rate was 14.3%, and the incidence of stillbirth at the litter level was 68.9%. The final multivariate GLMM selected eight factors, including CFD, BI, CRL, BW, PI, GL, LS, and parity, as significant risk factors for stillbirth in the piglet. CFD >90 min, BI > 30 min, CRL 13, and parity 5–8 were associated with increased stillbirth. The final model explained 50.1% of the variation of stillbirth, in which fixed factors explained 43.6% of the variation. Conclusion: The present study indicated that the stillbirth rate in the investigated pig farm was very high, and several factors simultaneously contributed to the situation. Selection for optimal size and shape of piglets, careful supervision of parturition, and replacement of old sows should be some of the practical approaches to reduce the stillbirth rate. J. Adv. Vet. Anim. Res., 9(1): 13–18, March 2022 http://doi.org/10.5455/javar.2022.i564

Objectives: The research aims to analyze the catabolic strength of different hydrolytic enzymes in assessing the biological conversion potential of lignocellulose parts of agricultural biomass wastes into functional edible sugars and biofuels. Materials and Methods: The enzymes’ hydrolytic properties—versatile peroxidase, manganese peroxidase, and lignin peroxidase were used to identify their complexing strength with the lignin substrate, whereas endoglucanase cel12A, acidocaldarius cellulase, and Melanocarpus albomyces endoglucanase were tested on the cellulose gel substrate. Because the biodegradation properties are heavily influenced by the “enzyme-substrate complexing energy level,” proper molecular optimization and energy minimization of the enzymes and substrates were carried out, as well as the identification of the enzyme’s active sites prior to complexing.comprehensive molecular dynamic simulation was run to study their—alpha carbon, root-mean-square deviation (Å), molecular surface area (Å2), root-mean-square fluctuation (Å), radius of gyration (nm), hydrogen bonds with hydrophobic interactions, and solvent accessible surface area (Å2) values for 50 ns. The simulated data mining was conducted using advanced programming algorithms to establish the final enzyme-substrate complexing strength in binding and catalysis. Results: Among the lignin-degrading enzymes, versatile peroxidase shows promising catalytic activity with the best docking pose and significant values in all the dynamic simulation parameters. Similarly, Melanocarpus albomyces endoglucanase shows the best activity in all aspects of molecular docking and dynamics among the cellulose-degrading enzymes. Conclusion: The lignin content of biomass wastes can be degraded into cellulose and hemicellulose using lignin-degrading enzymes. The cellulose can be further degraded into glucose and xylose sugars following the cellulose-degrading enzyme activity. These sugars can be further degraded into biofuel through anaerobic fermentation. Systematic bioconversion of the lignocellulosic components can ensure sustainable biomass management, creating an alternative food and energy source for human beings to face the challenges of global hunger where the enzymes can pave the way. J. Adv. Vet. Anim. Res., 9(1): 19–32, March 2022 http://doi.org/10.5455/javar.2022.i565

Objective: This study aimed to determine acaricide resistance in Rhipicephalus decoloratus ticks collected from grazing cattle between November 2018 and May 2019 in Elundini, Senqu, and Walter Sisulu Local Municipalities in the northeastern region of the Eastern Cape Province. Materials and Methods: A sample of 20–30 adult engorged female R. decoloratus ticks were collected from at least 10 randomly selected cattle (highly tick-infested) at each dip tank and placed into the labelled plastic collection bottles containing absorbent paper and with a perforated lid at a constant room temperature of ±28°C and >70% relative humidity until resistance testing commenced. The Shaw larval immersion test method was used to determine R. decoloratus larvae resistance to various acaricide concentration levels [amidines, organophosphate (OP), and synthetic pyrethroids (SPs)]. Results: This study found that most ticks were susceptible to exposure to different acaricide field concentrations of amidines (49% at 250 ppm), OPs (33% and 47% at 300 ppm and 500 ppm, respectively), and SPs (44% and 23% at 150 ppm and 300 ppm, respectively). The resistance testing resultsshowed no resistance to amidines at any localities and no resistance to OP in the Senqu region. However, resistance development of the larvae to amines, OPs, and SPs was extensively observed in Senqu (18%, 6%, and 7%), Elundini (15%, 15%, and 17%), and Walter Sisulu (13%, 19%, and 9%) regions, respectively. Conclusions: The larvae’sresistance is a cause for worry. Hence, the continuous monitoring of tick resistance to commonly used acaricides will help mitigate widespread acaricidal resistance and sustain livestock productivity. J. Adv. Vet. Anim. Res., 9(1): 33–41, March 2022 http://doi.org/10.5455/javar.2022.i566

Objectives: Streptococcus agalactiae is a zoonotic human and animal pathogen that causes global economic losses in aquaculture and fatal outcomes in Tilapia. This study aimed to identify S. agalactiae isolated from different fish sources intended for human consumption phenotypically and genotypically and to characterize the virulence-associated genes fbsA (fibrinogen-binding protein FbsA), cfb (CAMP factor), and pbp1A/ponA (penicillin-binding protein 1A). Materials and Methods: Three hundred Nile Tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus) were collected from different farms and retailshopsin Dakahlia and Damietta, Egypt, during the summer of 2020. The samples were examined using routine phenotypic methods, then characterized using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting S. agalactiae-specific dltS gene. All S. agalactiae isolates were examined for the susceptibility to ten antimicrobial agents by the disc diffusion method. The virulence-associated genes (fbsA, cfb, and pbp1A/ponA) were characterized using multiplex-PCR. Results: Streptococcus agalactiae was detected in 7% (n = 21/300) samples. The isolates showed high resistance against ampicillin and erythromycin (20/21; 95%) for each. The most predominant antibiotypesthrough isolates were P, CN, SXT, CRO, TE, CTX, E, AMP, at 10.5% for each antibiotype. A total of 19 (90.5%) of S. agalactiae isolates showed multi-drug resistance (MDR), and those were recovered from market Tilapia fish. The virulence-associated genes (fbsA, cfb, and pbp1A/ ponA) were identified in the S. agalactiae as 100%, 76%, and 52%, respectively. Conclusions: The MDR S. agalactiae detected in raw Tilapia fish pose a significant health hazard to consumers due to their zoonotic characteristics.  J. Adv. Vet. Anim. Res., 9(1): 95–103, March 2022 http://doi.org/10.5455/javar.2022.i573

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the persistence of oxytetracycline (OTC) residue in common fish species (Catla, Rui, Mrigal, and Pangas) available in local fish markets and the corresponding transport water of the Mymensingh region. Materials and Methods: Live fish and corresponding transport water samples were analyzed by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography for qualitative and quantitative detection of OTC residue,respectively. A total of 240 fish samples and 60 watersamples were randomly collected from three local fish markets during the summer and winter seasons. Results: OTC residues were detected in 18 samples (13 fish and 5 water samples) in the summer and 8 samples (only fish samples) in the winter. The overall percentage of antibiotic residue positive in fish samples was 5.42%, and in water samples, it was 8.33%. In fish, OTC concentrations of TLC-positive samples ranged from 34.7 to 56.85 parts per billion (ppb) in Catla, 23.45–35.37 in Rui, 11.02–26.80 in Mrigal, and 10.80–77.55 in Pangas during summer. The concentrations were 18.5 ppb in Catla, 15–16.09 in Rui, 10–14.63 in Mrigal, and 21.02–40.11 in Pangas during the winter season. On the other hand, the range of OTC concentrations of TLC-positive samples for water was 12.9–59.18 ppb during summer and below the detection level during winter. The highest prevalence of antibiotic residues among fish samples was found in Pangas (16.67%). The highest percentage of samples (15% in the fish sample and 30% in the water sample) found to be positive were collected from Mechua Bazar. The comparison between the summer and winter seasons showed that the percentage of positive antibiotic residue in the summer season (10.38% for fish and 16.67% for water) is higher than that of the winter season (6.67% for fish samples only). This variation indicates that fish transporters use more antibiotics during the summer than in the winter season. The difference between the means of fish species and water samples was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). In addition, no samples exceeded the maximum residue limits (MRL) of OTC (100 ppb) in fish set by the European Commission. Conclusion: Although the concentrations of antibiotic residues in fish edible tissues are below MRL values, the presence of antibiotic residuesin transported water may lead to the development of antimicrobial resistance bacteria that are detrimental to humans, animals, and aquatic animals. J. Adv. Vet. Anim. Res., 9(1): 104–112, March 2022 http://doi.org/10.5455/javar.2022.i574  

Objective: Most people in Matrouh Governorate consume camel milk as a treatment for many diseases in a raw state to obtain nutritive value. Raw dromedary camel milk can be contaminated by Escherichia coli through fecal matter at any point of milk handling; therefore, it may lose its value and safety specifications. This survey aimed to estimate the incidence of E. coli in fresh camel milk. Materials and Methods: 100 fresh camel milk samples (50 from markets and 50 from farms) were randomly collected from different districts in Matrouh Governorate, Egypt, over 4 months for the detection of E. coli incidence through conventional bacterial isolation, molecular investigation, and gene sequencing. Results: The prevalence rates of E. coli in the examined market and farm raw camel milk based on conventional methods were 24% and 8%, respectively, while those by molecular identification using phoA as an E. coli determinate gene were 4% and 6%, respectively. Moreover, E. coli phoA gene phylogenetic analysis revealed high sequence similarity to E. coli strain CP033158.1 in India and E. coli strain CP047594.1 in China. Antibiotic sensitivity of E. coli isolates showed high susceptibility to norfloxacin (10 µg) and cefoperazone (75 µg). On the other hand, high resistance was found in rifamycin (30 µg) and cefoxitin (30 µg). Conclusion: The results indicate that market camel milk is more contaminated than the farms’ own. Additionally, antibiotic resistance is increasing due to antibiotic abuse. J. Adv. Vet. Anim. Res., 9(1): 138–143, March 2022 http://doi.org/10.5455/javar.2022.i578