The objective of the current study was to identify extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBLs) from beef meat in Mansoura City, Egypt.Randomly selected 150 buffalo meat samples were obtained from retail butcher shops located in Mansoura City, Egypt. Samples were inoculated into enriched broth media and then directly streaked on E. coli selective agar for selective isolation of E. coli. A biochemical examination was performed for the preliminary identification of E. coli.  Suspected E. coli isolates were then confirmed by PCR targeting 16S rRNA. Confirmed E. coli isolates were tested for their susceptibility to antimicrobials by using Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method. Additionally. E. coli were tested for the presence of β-lactamases (blaCTX, and blaSHV and blaTEM) using PCR.  E. coli was isolated from 37 out of 150 tested samples with a total prevalence of 24.66 %. E. coli isolates revealed a high resistant against cefotaxime and ceftazidime, and moderate resistance against amoxyclavulanic acid, while a high sensitivity of E. coli was displayed against meropenem and imipenem. Moreover, the tested E. coli (n=37) harbored ESBLs genes with percentages of 40.5%   for both blaCTX, and blaSHV and 35% for blaTEM. E. coli produces extended-spectrum β -lactams that were isolated from meat and contained a substantial level of antibiotic resistance genes. To increase food processing quality and provide safe food for consumers, it is crucial to build food traceability and monitoring systems for meat and meat products.

Bovine trypanosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by protozoans of the genus Trypanosoma. The disease cause economic losses in livestock production. In order to determine the status of research on this disease in Côte d'Ivoire, we used the systematic review method and meta-analysis. Three electronics databases, namely Google Scholar, PubMed and CrossRef were used to search for publications on trypanosomiasis prevalence that met our inclusion criteria. Twenty five articles were identified, 11 of which met the inclusion criteria. Bovine trypanosomiasis prevalence of 2.99% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.96% - 3.01%) to 25.28% (95% CI: 25.17% - 25.38%) were recorded between 1960 and 2021. The analyses showed that the most infected regions were the Bagoue 11.26% (95% CI: 11.25% - 11.27%), Bounkani 14.94% (95% CI: 14.93% - 14.95%), Gbeke 10.34% (95% CI: 10.33% - 10.35%), Marahoue 13.79% (95% CI: 13.78% - 13.80%), Poro 8.50% (95% CI: 8.49% - 8.51%), and Tchologo 11.83% (95% CI: 11.82% - 11.84%).The most sensitive diagnostic method used was the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The species of trypanosomes diagnosed were Typanosoma vivax 4.99% (95% CI: 4.97% - 5.01%), T. congolense 1.51% (95% CI: 1.49% - 1.52%), and T. brucei 0.61% (95% CI: 0.59% - 0.62%). Despite some variation, the prevalence of bovine trypanosomiasis in Côte d'Ivoire caused mainly by T. vivax has increased in the years between 1977 and 2017. Efforts to control tsetse and other mechanical vectors should also be put in place to minimize its transmission. CONTRIBUTION: The authors studied the prevalence of bovine trypanosomiasis using the systematic review method and MA in order to determine the status of research on this disease in Côte d'Ivoire

Culicoides truuskae Labuschagne and Meiswinkel sp. n. is described and illustrated in both sexes from material collected in South Africa and Namibia. It is restricted to the xeric western margin of the subcontinent, occurring in Fynbos, Nama-Karoo and Succulent Karoo ecoregions in South Africa and Desert and Savanna ecoregions in Namibia experiencing < 600 mm of rainfall annually. Culicoides truuskae sp. n. is part of the Afrotropical 'plain-wing' Culicoides in which the wing lacks a distinguishing pattern of light and dark spots; the diagnostic dark smudge that traverses wing cell r3 may result in C. truuskae sp. n. being misidentified as the sympatric but phyletically unrelated Culicoides herero (Enderlein) - (of the Similis group, subgenus Oecacta Poey). Additionally, this study is the first description of the male of C. herero. C. truuskae sp. n. and Culicoides coarctatus Clastrier and Wirth share similar characters in the male genitalia, although the two species are separable on wing pattern and female flagellum sensilla coeloconica (SCo) distribution. The breeding habitat and adult female blood-feeding preferences of C. truuskae sp. n. are not known. A maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree, using mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) sequence data, is provided to further clarify the relationship between C. truuskae sp. n., C. coarctatus and C. herero. Extensive light trap data, collected over 30 years, are used to map the distribution ranges of C. truuskae sp. n., C. coarctatus and C. herero in Southern Africa. CONTRIBUTION: The description of this new species and the description of the male of C. herero increases our understanding of the diversity and distribution of Culicoides species in southern Africa.

Infection with Coxiella burnetii causes significant economic impact and poses zoonotic risk to people exposed to livestock, yet few studies in South Africa have assessed seroprevalence of C. burnetii infection and no information is available for goats. Very little information is available regarding risk factors and outcomes of C. burnetii infection in peri-urban farming areas where widespread mixing of ruminants occurs. This study estimated the seroprevalence of C. burnetii infection among communally farmed goats in an area adjacent to the densely populated Gauteng province. Sera were collected from 216 goats in 39 herds, and questionnaires were completed to establish management practices as potential risk factors. C. burnetii antibody testing was done by ELISA. Thirty two out of 216 goats tested positive for C. burnetii antibodies and the overall seroprevalence, adjusted for sampling weights and clustering, was 18.4% (95% confidence interval &#91;CI&#93;: 12.2% - 23.5%). The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.06, indicating low-to-moderate clustering. Multiple logistic regression showed age was significantly associated with seropositivity, with higher seroprevalence in animals &#8805; 19 months old (26%) than animals &#8804; 6 months old (6%) (odds ratio &#91;OR&#93;: 6.6; p = 0.010). We concluded C. burnetii infection is common in goats in Moretele and a potential cause of abortion in goats and poses the potential zoonotic disease risk. CONTRIBUTION: Despite the threats posed on animal health and productivity, scant information is published on C. burnetii in South Africa. This research established preliminary estimates of C. burnetii seroprevalence. The research is original from a South African perspective, relevant to Africa and focused on infectious disease in livestock.

Neospora caninum is a coccidian parasite that occurs worldwide and is one of the most important causes of abortion, especially in cattle. However, no studies have been performed in Namibia to determine the N. caninum status in livestock. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of N. caninum in cattle and the associated risk factors in the Khomas region of Namibia. A total of 736 sera were collected from cows in 32 farming establishments. These comprised 698 beef and 38 dairy cattle sera and were tested using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. Questionnaires were concurrently administered to determine possible risk factors associated with N. caninum seropositivity. A total of 42 sera were positive (all beef), giving an animal-level seroprevalence rate of 5.7%. Eight of the 32 establishments had at least one positive animal, giving a herd-level seroprevalence of 25%. There was no significant association between seropositivity and the presence of dogs, jackals, history of abortions, farm size, number of cattle or average annual rainfall. The establishments with moderate to high numbers of Feliformia were 9.8 times more likely to be seropositive to N. caninum than those with none to low levels of the former (p = 0.0245). The authors concluded that the seroprevalence level of N. caninum in the Khomas region was relatively low compared with other parts of the world and that the role of Feliformia in the epidemiology of bovine neosporosis needed to be further investigated. CONTRIBUTION: Serological evidence of bovine neosporosis and the associated risk factors are reported in Namibia for the first time. This study contributes to the scientific body of knowledge on N. caninum in Africa, which is currently limited.

Lymnaea natalensis is the only snail intermediate host of Fasciola gigantica, the causative agent of fascioliasis, in Nigeria. The species also serves as intermediate host for many other African trematode species of medical and veterinary importance, and it is found throughout the country. However, there is no detailed information on the factors that influence its distribution and seasonal abundance in the tropical aquatic habitats in Nigeria. This study used the geographic information system and remotely sensed data to develop models for predicting the distribution of L. natalensis in South-Western Nigeria. Both land surface temperature (LST) and normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) were extracted from Landsat satellite imagery; other variables (slope and elevation) were extracted from a digital elevation model (DEM) while rainfall data were retrieved from the European Meteorology Research Programme (EMRP). These environmental variables were integrated into a geographic information system (GIS) to predict suitable habitats of L. natalensis using exploratory regression. A total of 1410 L. natalensis snails were collected vis-à-vis 22 sampling sites. Built-up areas recorded more L. natalensis compared with farmlands. There was no significant difference in the abundance of snails with season (p > 0.05). The regression models showed that rainfall, NDVI, and slope were predictors of L. natalensis distribution. The habitats suitable for L. natalensis were central areas, while areas to the north and south were not suitable for L. natalensis. CONTRIBUTION: The predictive risk models of L. natalensis in the study will be useful in mapping other areas where the snail sampling could not be conducted

Brucellosis is a major threat to public health especially in developing countries including Pakistan. This study reveals the characterisation of Brucella species affecting humans and goats in the Swat region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Blood samples were collected from shepherds and goats and analysed by Rose Bengal precipitation test (RBPT), standard plate agglutination test (SPAT), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Sanger sequencing of 16S rRNA gene. The findings of the study indicated 24% (36/150) and 11.3% (17/150) positivity for Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis, respectively, in human samples. In samples of goats, 26.66% (40/150) were positive for B. abortus and 16.66% (25/150) samples were positive B. melitensis by SPAT. The species-specific PCR confirmed B. abortus in 24% (36/150) of human samples and 26.66% (17/150) of goat samples by targeting the IS711 locus. The remaining seropositive samples were confirmed as B. melitensis using IS711 M species-specific primer. The sequences of the amplified fragments of the 16S rRNA gene were blasted, and phylogenetic analysis revealed that Brucella species circulating in the Swat district were closely related to B. melitensis and B. abortus reported from India, China, Philippines, and the United States (US) showing the existence of the possible epidemiological linkage among the Brucella species. This study concluded that there was a higher prevalence of B. abortus (26.6%) in humans and goats compared to B. melitensis (16.6%). These results revealed that the Brucella species were circulating in both humans and goats in the study areas. The findings of the study concluded that B. abortus and B. melitensis were circulating in goats and shepherds with a higher prevalence of B. abortus than B. melitensis. Furthermore, the Brucella species identified in Swat were phylogenetically related to the Brucella species reported from India, China, Philippines and the US. CONTRIBUTION: The proposed study covers the scope of the journal. The species of the genus Brucella affect both animals and shepherds. This study investigates the seroprevalence of brucellosis in shepherds and goats in different geographical areas in the Swat district. The phylogenetic analysis of the Brucella spp. identified in Swat showed close relationships to the Brucella species reported in India, China, Philippines and the US, which shows the possible epidemiological linkages between the Brucella spp.

Brucellosis is a major threat to public health especially in developing countries including Pakistan. This study reveals the characterisation of Brucella species affecting humans and goats in the Swat region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Blood samples were collected from shepherds and goats and analysed by Rose Bengal precipitation test (RBPT), standard plate agglutination test (SPAT), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Sanger sequencing of 16S rRNA gene. The findings of the study indicated 24% (36/150) and 11.3% (17/150) positivity for Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis, respectively, in human samples. In samples of goats, 26.66% (40/150) were positive for B. abortus and 16.66% (25/150) samples were positive B. melitensis by SPAT. The species-specific PCR confirmed B. abortus in 24% (36/150) of human samples and 26.66% (17/150) of goat samples by targeting the IS711 locus. The remaining seropositive samples were confirmed as B. melitensis using IS711 M species-specific primer. The sequences of the amplified fragments of the 16S rRNA gene were blasted, and phylogenetic analysis revealed that Brucella species circulating in the Swat district were closely related to B. melitensis and B. abortus reported from India, China, Philippines, and the United States (US) showing the existence of the possible epidemiological linkage among the Brucella species. This study concluded that there was a higher prevalence of B. abortus (26.6%) in humans and goats compared to B. melitensis (16.6%). These results revealed that the Brucella species were circulating in both humans and goats in the study areas. The findings of the study concluded that B. abortus and B. melitensis were circulating in goats and shepherds with a higher prevalence of B. abortus than B. melitensis. Furthermore, the Brucella species identified in Swat were phylogenetically related to the Brucella species reported from India, China, Philippines and the US. Contribution: The proposed study covers the scope of the journal. The species of the genus Brucella affect both animals and shepherds. This study investigates the seroprevalence of brucellosis in shepherds and goats in different geographical areas in the Swat district. The phylogenetic analysis of the Brucella spp. identified in Swat showed close relationships to the Brucella species reported in India, China, Philippines and the US, which shows the possible epidemiological linkages between the Brucella spp.

Chicken meat products have a high biological value; they are good sources of amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Despite this high biological value, these products act as a good substrate for different types of bacteria and have been implicated in many foodborne disease outbreaks. Therefore, a total of 60 random samples of chicken meat products (nuggets, luncheon and pane, 20 of each) were collected from Zagazig City, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt for bacteriological examination (Aerobic Plate Count, Staphylococci count, Pseudomonas count, determination of most probable number of Coliform and E. coli.). The obtained results revealed that the mean aerobic plate counts were 5.18±0.19, 4.88±0.20 and 4.73±0.29 log10 CFU/g; Staphylococci counts were 2.96±0.20, 3.14±0.21 and 3.32±0.16 log10 CFU/g; Pseudomonas counts were 2.17±0.30, 2±0.28 and 2.34±0.21 log10 CFU/g; most probable numbers of Coliforms were 3.37±0.11, 3.83±0.27 and 3.64±0.30 log10 CFU/g; and most probable numbers of E. coli were 2.14±0.17, 2.56±0.30 and 2.64±0.25 log10 CFU/g in the examined nuggets, luncheon and pane, respectively. According to the Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality (EOS), the examined chicken product samples were 10(21.67%), 9(15%), 28(46.67%), 49(81.67%), 31(51.67%) and 30(50%) accepted for aerobic plate count, Staphylococci count, S. aureus, Pseudomonas count, Coliform and E. coli, respectively. In conclusion, the examined chicken meat products revealed unsatisfactory hygienic measures. Therefore, strict hygienic practices should be adopted during processing of chicken meat products to improve the bacteriological quality of such products.

The experimental trial was carried out to evaluate the impact of a mixture of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis probiotic supplementation via the drinking water (AVI-GROW®) on growth performance, carcass traits, gut microbiome, intestinal histomorphology, blood biochemical indices, and litter quality of broiler chickens. A total of 480 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks (as hatch) were randomly allocated into two groups, each with three replicates (80 chicks/replicate). The control group (T1) and the supplemented group (T2) were fed a basal diet, however, T2 was supplemented with (AVI-GROW®) via the drinking water at the rate of 1mL/L drinking water every 12 hours for 2 days after every vaccination and change of diet. The experiment lasted 31 days. Supplementation of (AVI-GROW®) via the drinking water in T2 significantly (P≤0.05) improved body weight gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR), as well as villus crypt ratio of the small intestine as compared to the control. The dressing percent, breast, thigh and drumstick yields were improved in T2 than in control. Additionally, blood cholesterol, triacylglycerol, ALT, and AST concentrations were reduced, while total protein concentration was significantly (P≤0.05) increased in T2 as compared to control. Moreover, cecal clostridial counts were significantly (P<0.05) lower in T2 as compared to control. Supplementation of (AVI-GROW®) in (T2) reduced nitrogen content in birds' excreta and litter. Conclusively, the supplementation of (AVI-GROW®) via the drinking water could improve growth performance, carcass characteristics, gut microbiome, intestinal histomorphology, blood biochemical indices, and litter quality in broiler chickens.