Lumpy skin disease (LSD), sheeppox (SP), and goatpox (GP) are contagious viral infections, affecting cattle (LSD), sheep and goats (SP and GP) with highly characteristic clinical signs affecting multiple body systems. All three diseases are widely reported to reduce meat, milk, wool and cashmere production although few studies have formally evaluated their economic impact on affected farms. This study aimed to estimate the economic impact and epidemiological parameters of LSD, SP, and GP among backyard and transhumance farmers in northeast Nigeria. A retrospective study was conducted on herds and flocks affected between August 2017 and January 2018 in Bauchi, Nigeria. Herds and flocks were diagnosed based on clinical signs and information was collected once the outbreak concluded using a standardized questionnaire. Data were collected from 99 farmers (87 backyard and 12 transhumance). The median incidence risk and fatality rate were 33 and 0% in cattle, 53 and 34 % in sheep; 50 and 33% in goats, respectively, with young stock having higher incidence risk and fatality rates than adults. Almost all farmers (94%) treated affected animals with antibiotics, spending a median of US$1.96 (min US$0.19-max US$27.5) per herd per day. Slaughtering or selling affected animals at low prices were common coping strategies. Farmers sold live cattle for 47% less than would have been sold if the animal was healthy, while sheep and goats were sold for 58 and 57% less, respectively. Milk production dropped 65% when cows were clinically affected and 35% after they recovered. Cattle lost a median of 10% of their live weight and sheep and goats lost 15%. Overall economic losses at farm level range from US$9.6 to US$6,340 depending on species affected and production system. Most of the farmers (72%) had not replaced all affected animals at the time of the study. Livestock markets were the most common place to sell affected animals and buy replacements, suggesting these are likely hubs for spreading infections. This study confirms the immediate and long-lasting impact of these diseases on subsistence farmers' livelihoods in NorthEast Nigeria and suggests potential mechanisms for targeted control.

SUMMARY. To assess the effect of various vaccine strains on replication and shedding of virulent Marek's disease virus from experimentally infected chickens, quantitative PCR (q-PCR) methods were developed to accurately quantify viral DNA in infected chickens and in the environment in which they were housed. Four groups of 10 chickens, kept in poultry isolators, were vaccinated at 1 day old with one of four vaccines covering each of the three vaccine serotypes, then challenged with very virulent MDV strain Md5 at 8 days of age. At regular time-points, feather tips were collected from each chicken and poultry dust was collected from the air-extract prefilter of each isolator. DNA was extracted from feather and dust samples and subjected to real-time q-PCR, targeting the U S 2 gene of MDV-1, in order to measure Md5 level per 10 4 feather tip cells or per microgram of dust. Accuracy of DNA extraction from dust and real-time q-PCR were validated by comparing either q-PCR cycle threshold values or the calculated MDV genome level; for use in q-PCR, DNA was extracted from serial dilutions of MDV-infected dust diluted with noninfected dust, or DNA from MDV-infected dust was diluted with DNA from noninfected dust. The results confirmed the accuracy and sensitivity of dust DNA extraction and subsequent q-PCR and showed that differences in virus levels between dust samples truly reflect differences in shedding. Vaccination delayed both replication of Md5 in feather tips and shedding of Md5. First detection of Md5 in feather tips always preceded or coincided with first detection in dust in each group. pCVI988 and HVT+SB-1 were the most efficient vaccines in reducing both replication and shedding of Md5. There was close correlation between mean virus level in feathers of each group and mean virus level in the dust shed by that group. This relationship was similar in each of the vaccinated groups, demonstrating that measurement of the virus in dust can be used to monitor accurately both the infection status of the chickens and environmental contamination by MDV. RESUMEN. Relación entre los niveles del virus de Marek muy virulento en el polvo de instalaciones avícolas y en cañones de las plumas en pollos vacunados.Para evaluar el efecto de diferentes cepas de vacunas sobre la replicación y diseminación del virus muy virulento de la enfermedad de Marek en pollos infectados experimentalmente, se desarrollaron métodos cuantitativos de PCR (q-PCR) para determinar con precisión el ADN viral en los pollos infectados y en el entorno en el que se alojaron. Se alojaron cuatro grupos de 10 pollos por unidad de aislamiento, estas aves fueron vacunadas al primer día de edad con una de cuatro vacunas que incluyen los tres serotipos vacunales. Posteriormente fueron desafiados a los ocho días de edad con la cepa muy virulenta del virus de la enfermedad de Marek, Md5. En intervalos de tiempo regulares, se recolectaron cañones de plumas de cada pollo y también se recolectó el polvo del prefiltro del extractor de cada unidad de aislamiento. Se ...

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a chronic infectious and contagious zoonotic disease of domestic animals, wild animals, and humans. It poses a public health threat and economic losses due to abattoir condemnation of infected carcasses during meat inspection of slaughtered animals. Bovine tuberculosis is widespread in Africa including Nigeria affecting both cattle and humans, particularly Northern Nigeria. A prospective survey was conducted from June to August 2013 in the three Zonal abattoirs of Bauchi State, Nigeria. A total of 150 structured close-ended questionnaires were administered to abattoir personnel to assess their level of awareness of bTB. This study was aimed at determining the level of public health awareness, attitude, and practices of abattoir workers of bTB in Bauchi State, Nigeria. There was a statistically significant association between respondents' awareness of bTB and their occupational status, age, and duration of exposure to cattle carcasses (P < 0.05); the odds of being aware of bTB were 9.4, 7.3, and 2.1, respectively. In conclusion, these demonstrate the urgent need for public health authorities to intervene in bTB control. The risk of bTB transmission as indicated by the personnel's practices and awareness levels in Bauchi State could be prevented through the use of protective clothing (PPEs).

Bovine tuberculosis is a chronic, infectious, and contagious zoonotic disease of domestic animals, wild animals, and humans. It also poses a public health threat and economic losses. This study was aimed at determining the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in slaughtered cattle, based on PM meat inspection, Ziehl-Neelsen staining, and PCR techniques in Bauchi State, Nigeria. A Prospective study was conducted on 800 cattle slaughtered in the three Zonal abattoirs of Bauchi State, Nigeria. One hundred and twenty (15%) tissues from different organs had suspected bTB lesions at PM. Out of the samples examined 35 (29.2%) were AFB positive by ZN and 10 (8.3%) were confirmed positive for M. bovis by PCR, with an overall prevalence of 29.16% and 8.33%, respectively. Female had a higher prevalence rate than male cattle at 16.66% and 12.5 % by ZN and 5.00% and 3.33% by PCR, respectively (P>0.05, χ 2 = 0.218). However, there was a statistically significant association (P<0.05, χ 2 = 7.002) between detection of bTB and the age of cattle. ZN revealed that cattle aged 6 years and above had the highest number of positive bTB cases 67.9%, while cattle aged 3–5 years had the lowest 14.81%. PCR technique revealed that the cattle aged 6 and above years also had the highest percentage positive M. bovis cases of 22.84%, whereas cattle aged 3–5 years had the lowest and the overall prevalence rate of 8.33%. The study found a high infection rate of bTB among cattle and majority of the lesions 54.2% were from lungs. The prevalence of bTB was higher in Bauchi metropolitan abattoir which supplies larger population of the state with beef.

Camel contagious ecthyma (CCE) is a viral disease of camelids that is caused by a Parapoxvirus (PPV) which is a DNA virus of the viral family: Poxviridae. Diseases affecting camels in Nigeria are scarcely reported. CCE or the laboratory detection of camel PPV (CPPV) has not been reported in Nigeria. This study investigated and described the clinical presentation of CCE and molecular detection of CPPV in Nigeria. Suspected cases of CCE were reported in a farm, live animal market and abattoir, in three different states (Bauchi, Plateau and Zamfara) in Northern Nigeria. Skin scabs, lungs, liver and intestine samples were collected. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out using the primers which targets the RPO30 gene fragment of the genus PPV. The clinical signs observed from the suspected cases of CCE were proliferative skin lesions, papules, scabs on the lips and nares. CPPV was detected in 80.0% (4/5) of the samples collected by PCR. CCE was diagnosed based on clinical signs and PCR results. This is the first report of CCE in Nigeria. Further studies should be carried out to genetically characterize the CPPV circulating in Nigeria.