African swine fever (ASF) has had significant economic and social impact in Nigeria since 1997. However, there has been no effective national response to bring it under control. In this report, we confirm that ASF is still prevalent and widespread in Nigeria. Results from both serosurveillance and virological analyses indicated that ASF is present in most of the agro-ecological zones of the country. Nine per cent (9%) of serum samples and 48% of tissue samples were positive for ASF virus antibody and genome, respectively. Areas with high pig-related activities (marketing, consumption and farming) have higher prevalences compared with areas with less pig activities. Farm-gate buyers, marketing systems and transport of untested pigs within the country assist with the circulation of the virus. Only by putting in place a comprehensive routine surveillance and testing system, reorganizing the market and transportation systems for pigs, implementing on-farm bio-security protocols and considering the option of compensation will it be possible to achieve a significant reduction in ASF prevalence in Nigeria.

Aim:  To determine the occurrence of Escherichia coli O157: H7 in hides and faeces of slaughtered ruminants in Nigeria. Methods and Results:  A total number of 320 animals were sampled from January to December covering the wet and harmattan seasons. Samples were obtained from the hides and faeces of animals at slaughter. The ISO (ISO 16654:2001, Microbiology of food and animal feedingstuffs – horizontal method for the detection of Escherichia coli O157) method for enrichment and isolation of E. coli O157 incorporating selective enrichment using modified tryptone soya broth with novobiocin (mTSBn),immunomagnetic separation and plating on sorbitol‐MacConkey agar with cefixime tellurite (CT‐SMAC) was used. Overall cattle had a prevalence rate of 49·4% followed by sheep and goats with rates of 6·3% and 2·5%, respectively. There was a significant difference in carriage of E. coli O157 among two different cattle breeds. Conclusions:  The prevalence of E. coli O157: H7 is substantial from two abattoirs in the country. The carriage and shedding of E. coli O157: H7 did not differ with season but differed among groups of ruminants and among breeds of cattle in a tropical country. Significance and Impact of the Study:  This is the first study on E. coli O157: H7 from abattoir operations in Nigeria. The study emphasizes the risk of E. coli O157: H7 along the meat chain and the need for concerted effort to limit it through best hygiene practices.

In this study, the prevalence of Extended Spectrum Beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli isolates from the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital and the National Hospital was determined. A total of two hundred and fifteen (215) clinical isolates were examined, of which 60% were E. coli and 40% K. pneumoniae respectively. The isolates were collected from various samples namely: Stool, Urine, Pus, High Vagina Swab, Sputum and Wound swab. Out of these isolates, 54 of K. pneumoniae were screened to be ESBL negative and 32 as ESBL positive isolates, while 88 and 40 E. coli were also screened as ESBL negative and ESBL positive isolates respectively. These represent 37.9% of all K. pneumoniae isolates and 31.25% of E. coli isolates respectively. The prevalence of ESBL among the species was not however statistically different (p > 0.05). Multiple resistance in these isolates was common and there is the need for routine screening of ESBL in our hospitals to guide rational and effective use of antibiotics.

Soy wara is a common ready-to-eat food whose production and sale are currently unregulated. Microbiological sampling indicated that 21% of the samples had standard plate counts exceeding 100,000 CFU/g, and 14% had Staphylococcus aureus counts higher than 100,000 CFU/g. The occurrence of S. aureus at these levels can result in food poisoning. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated in 14.4% of the samples, although the counts were generally low, typically <1,000 CFU/g. Although counts of L. monocytogenes were low, immunocompromised individuals and children may particularly be at risk of listeriosis. All samples showed low counts of Bacillus cereus (< 10,000 CFU/g). Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica were detected in 5.6 and 2.2% of all samples, respectively, indicating fecal contamination and possible links to gastroenteritis and enteric fever. Fungal counts were variable, ranging from 6.0 × 10(3) to 2.0 × 10(4) CFU/g, with Alternaria spp., Fusarium spp., and Rhizopus spp. being the predominant species. Aluminum content was as high as 0.776 mg of Al per g in soy wara processed with alum. Significantly higher aluminum contents were observed in alum-processed soy wara compared with those processed with lime or ogi (an acid-fermented gruel of either maize [Zea mays], sorghum [Sorghum bicolor], or millet [Pennisetum glaucum]) (P < 0.05). These results indicate the need to improve personal hygiene and environmental sanitation in the production and preparation of soy wara, and further studies are warranted for the implication of the accumulation of aluminum.

The hypocholesterolemic effect of Lactobacillus plantarum AK strain was tested in rats fed high cholesterol diet. The lipid profile, growth rate and microflora dynamics of rats that received L. plantarum AK strain were significantly different from the control group (p < 0.5). In particular low density lipoprotein was lower in serum of rats that received L. plantarum than those of the control group. The test group had a higher growth rate, higher lactobacilli counts but lower coliform and Escherichia coli counts over a period of 40 days and these observed differences were significant (p < 0.05). These results are indicative of the abilities of this strain to lower serum cholesterol levels as well as to improve intestinal microbial balance as observed in the microflora dynamics over a period of 40 days.