A total of 23,322 specimens collected between 2014 and 2017, froma total of 2,592 cases, were received in Veterinary Research Institute, Ipoh (VRI) from various states in Malaysia and testedfor common bacterial, viral, and parasitic diseases in pigs. The highest occurrence of isolated bacteria from 771 samples whichtested positive were Salmonella (47.38%) and Escherichia coli (15.68%), followed by Staphylococcus (6.62%), Streptococcus (5.57%), Klebsiella pneumonia (4.88%), Pseudomona (3.38%), Acinetobacter (3.14%), Aeromonas (2.79%), Enterobacter (2.44%), one each of Bacillus and Pasteurella multocida (1.74%), Enterococcus (1.39%) and Corynebacterium (1.05%). 1.74% of each bacteria detected were Moxarella, Aspergillus, Burkholderia andChromobacterium. Positive samples tested by ELISA was Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) (9.15%), Aujezsky disease virus (ADV)(5.37%), porcine cirvo-virus-2 (PCV2) (5.09%) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) (4.52%). Positive amples tested by the molecular test wasPCV2 (1.62%), PRRSV (1.32%) and classical swine fever virus (CSFV) (0.4%). Serology tests were conducted on 11,305 samplesand reported positive for Brucella suis (15.32%), Brucella abortus (0.62%), Brucella melitensis (0.85%), and melioidosis (0.05%). Parasitology analyses on 99 samples. revealed presence of 10.1% coccidia and 1% each of helminths and Sarcocystis. Within the 4-year period, there were no positive samples for porcine parvovirus (PPV), Nipah virus, swine influenza virus (SIV), and bacteria of Johne’s disease and leptospirosis. Continuous assessment is required to establish a comprehensive baseline data of swine diseases in Malaysia.

Ever since infectious bursal disease (IBD) was recognised in Nigeria over forty years ago, it continues to pose a threat to poultry production with limited information on the likely role of other avian species especially those raised in close proximity with chickens. For this study, blood samples were obtained from184 unvaccinated apparently healthy birds comprised of Japanese quails (63) andindigenous chickens (60) on smallholdings as well as pigeons (61) in a live-bird market in Osun and Oyo states, southwest Nigeria.Sera from these birds were analysed for IBD virus antibodies using a commercial ELISA kit. Overall, 69 (37.5%) sera were positive for IBDV with 52.8% (65/184) and 6.6% (4/184)from birds on smallholdings and live-bird market, respectively. These findings indicate that these birds were sub-clinically infected and could serve as reservoirs shedding the virus into the environment and perhaps, corroborate the suggestion that the inability to effectively control or eradicate the disease from poultry flocks in Nigeria may be due to limited information on the contributions of other avian species other than chicken in the spread of IBD virus.

This study was conducted to observe the occurrence of aflatoxin in chicken feed from Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 336 samples of chicken feed from Peninsular Malaysia were conveniently collected in this survey. The chicken feed represented the following three categories which are starter, grower and finisher. All samples werecollected from local poultry farms in East Coast Region (Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang), Northern Region (Perlis, Kedah, Penang, and Perak), Southern Region (Malacca, Johor) and Central Region (Selangor, Negeri Sembilan) of Peninsular Malaysia for a periodof six months (July-December 2015). Enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for screening of total aflatoxin (TA) in the samples. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detector was used for determination of aflatoxin B and G. Moisture content of samples was determined using the hot airoven method (AOAC International, 2011). Overall, the incidence of positive TA >20 µg/kg in chicken feed is 14.9% (50 samples). The average level of TA was found significantly different between different states at p<0.05 for both broiler grower and finisher. Thechromatograph results showed that positive samples were found in broiler finisher from Kedah (94.6 µg/kg and 42.1 µg/kg) and Penang(56.4 µg/kg) with aflatoxin B1. In this study, the range of moisture content were around 6.5-27.3%. About 40% samples have more than12% moisture content. One of the predisposing factors for aflatoxin accumulation in chicken feed is moisture content. The results warrantthe need for surveillance and constant monitoring programmes for the prevention of aflatoxin incidence in poultry farms.

Forty-nine fresh goat’s milk samples produced by local farmers and sold in market for public consumption as well as raw goat milk in Johor, Malaysia were analysed for total plate count(TPC) , E. coli, Coliform, Brucella melitensis, Brucella abortus,Coxiella burnetii as well as aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) content, as measures for food safety. The mean counts per ml for TPC were 4.90 x 105, 6.50 x 105, 1.60 x 105 and 1.48 x 106 for pasteurised, unpasteurised and unknown (status of pasteurisation) milk sold in the market as well as the raw milk from milkcollection center (MCC), respectively. Among pasteurised samples, only one had TPC count higher than the permitted level whereas the rest were all within the permitted level. The mean counts per ml for E. coli were <1.00 x 102 for pasteurised and unknown milkwhereas 1.67 x 101 for unpasteurised and 1.18 x 102 for raw milk. The mean counts per ml for coliform were 9.53 x 103, 9.76 x103, 1.20 x 102 and 1.16 x 104 for pasteurised, unpasteurised, unknown milk and raw milk, respectively. Overall, no significantdifferences on the bacterial counts in both pasteurised and unpasteurised milk. All milk samples were negative of B. melitensis and B. abortus, but one unknown sample fromthe market and two raw samples from MCC were positive of C. burnetii through the ELISA test. The unknown sample from the market showed the presence of C. burnetii when further analysed microscopically. Meanwhile, no sample exceeded the permitted level of AFM1 in milk.

Conventional methods of detecting Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, a bacterium that causes caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) in sheeps and goats focused on several serodiagnostic tests such as ELISA, Western blotting and various inhibition and precipitation techniques. This paper described a Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) protocol for the direct detection of polyclonal&#xD;antibodies against Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis with immobilisation of the antigen on unmodified transducer surface. The lower limit of detection was determined to be 2 μg mL-1 of immobilised antigen (Ag). Sufficient binding interaction was monitored on unmodified transducer; and saturation of the binding interaction was observed at 80 μg mL-1 of interacted antibody.

A monitoring program for melamine in milk and feed was conducted in response to global melamine alertness in the year 2008. Two screening methods were adopted i.e., a liquid chromatography triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and enzyme-linked&#xD;immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The liquid chromatography method developed by several international research centers was adapted. This method consisted of an initial extraction with 10%trichloroacetic acid (TCA) for milk samples or 60% methanol/water for feed samples, followed by a series of centrifugation, dilution and filtration steps. Melamine was analysed in the chromatographic program using a zwitterionic HILIC LC column. Electrospray ionisation in positive ion mode was used. The quantity of melamine&#xD;present was determined with a calibration curve consisting of sample extracts from milk or feed fortified from 25 to 50 ppb that were taken through the extraction procedure. The ranges of recovery from&#xD;fortified raw milk samples (n=20) and feed samples (n=21) was 70–80% and 68%, respectively. The limit of detection was estimated at 10 ppb for both matrixes. Milk samples were found negative for melamine,&#xD;however 4.5% of feed samples were found to contain the compound at concentrations between 1 to 5 ppm.