There are increasing reports of antimicrobial treatment failures for bacterial diseases of poultry in Uganda. The paucity of data on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of pathogenic bacteria in Uganda is a major setback to AMR control. This study investigated the occurrence of fowl typhoid, colibacillosis, and AMR in associated pathogens from 2012 to 2018. Laboratory records from the Central Diagnostic Laboratory (CDL), a National Veterinary Diagnostic Facility located at Makerere University, were reviewed. Archived isolates of the causative bacteria for the two diseases were also evaluated for AMR. The frequencies of the two disease conditions, their clinical and necropsy presentations and the demographic data of the diagnostic samples were summarized from the records. Archived bacterial isolates were revived before antimicrobial susceptibility testing. This was done on Mueller Hinton agar using the disk diffusion method, against 16 antimicrobials of medical and veterinary importance according to the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. A total of 697 poultry cases were presented for bacteriological investigations in the review period. Colibacillosis and salmonellosis had prevalence rates of 39.7% (277/697) and 16.2% (113/697), respectively. A total of 63 and 92 isolates of Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp., respectively, were archived but 43 (68.3%) E. coli and 47 (51.1%) Salmonella spp. isolates were recovered and evaluated for AMR. Multidrug resistance was more frequent in E. coli (38; 88.4%) than salmonellae (25; 53.2%), ( p < 0.001). The high prevalence of colibacillosis, salmonellosis and the AMR of associated pathogens warrants immediate institution of appropriate disease control measures.

The dynamics of extended-spectrum β-lactamase- (ESBL-) and AmpC β-lactamase-producing bacteria (which are deadly groups of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria) have not been well understood in developing countries. This raises major concerns to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) control. We investigated the prevalence and factors linked to the fecal carriage of ESBL- or AmpC-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-/AmpC-EC) in commercial chickens. Cloacal swabs from 400 birds were sampled and submitted to the Central Diagnostic Laboratory for ESBL-/AmpC-EC screening by culture methods using MacConkey agar supplemented with cefotaxime. Epidemiological data were collected using a structured questionnaire and plausible risk factor analyses prepared by R software using X2 test and logistic regression modeling. Results showed that the prevalence of ESBL-/AmpC-EC was 17.5%. Univariable screening hypothesized that carriage was probably influenced by a type of commercial chicken, geographical location, age group, flock size, and housing system ( p < 0.05 ). Modeling exposed that broiler birds were at a higher risk of being ESBL-/AmpC-EC carriers (COR = 9.82, CI = 3.85–25.07). Birds from Wakiso Town Council (COR = 4.89, CI = 2.04–11.72) and flocks of 700–1200 birds were also at a higher risk of harboring ESBL-/AmpC-EC (COR = 2.41, CI = 1.11–5.23). Birds aged 4 months and below were more susceptible to ESBL-/AmpC-EC carriage compared with those aged 1 month and below being 6.33 times (CI = 1.65–24.35) likely to be carriers. The occurrence of ESBL-/AmpC-EC in flocks suggests possible treatment failures while managing colibacillosis. Consequently, injudicious antimicrobial use should be replaced with an accurate diagnosis by bacterial culture and sensitivity testing so as to circumvent AMR emergence, spread, and associated losses.

Blood samples were collected from pigs at six abattoirs in the Kampala, Uganda metropolitan area from May 2021 through June 2022, and tested for African swine fever virus. Thirty-one samples with cycle threshold values < 26 from pigs with different geographic origins, clinical and pathologic signs, and Ornithodoros moubata exposure underwent whole genome sequencing. The p72 gene was used to genotype the isolates, and all were found to be genotype IX; whole genome sequences to previous genotype IX isolates confirmed their similarity. Six of the isolates had enough coverage to evaluate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Five of the isolates differed from historic regional isolates, but had similar SNPs to one another, and the sixth isolate also differed from historic regional isolates, but also differed from the other five isolates, even though they are all genotype IX. Whole genome sequencing data provide additional detail on viral evolution that can be useful for molecular epidemiology, and understanding the impact of changes in genes to disease phenotypes, and may be needed for vaccine targeting should a commercial vaccine become available. More sequencing of African swine fever virus isolates is needed in Uganda to understand how and when the virus is changing.

We conducted a cross-sectional serologic study at Kampala City abattoir in Uganda on 287 small ruminants (221 goats and 66 sheep) to determine the seroprevalence of brucellosis. The samples were tested using a modified rose bengal test (mRBT) and an indirect ELISA (iELISA). Small ruminant Brucella spp. seropositivity was 18 of 287 (6.3%) by mRBT and 19 of 287 (6.6%) by iELISA. The prevalence of brucellosis by mRBT was non-significantly higher in goats (17 of 221; 7.7%) than in sheep (1 of 66, 1.5%; p = 0.069), and also non-significantly higher by the iELISA in goats (18 of 221; 8.1%) than in sheep (1 of 66, 1.5%; p = 0.057). Brucellosis in slaughtered goats and sheep is a public health hazard to abattoir workers and consumers that calls for control and eradication measures at the farm level, given that testing is not carried out routinely at slaughter points.

Burkholderia pseudomallei is a Gram-negative bacterium that causes melioidosis, a disease of humans and animals. It is primarily transmitted through direct contact with contaminated soil and surface water. The epidemiology of this pathogen in Africa, including Uganda, is largely unknown. The objectives of this study were to estimate the seroprevalence of B. pseudomallei in pigs slaughtered in central Uganda and to identify potential hotspots for this pathogen in the country. A total of 1035 pig sera were analyzed for serological responses to B. pseudomallei with type A and type B LPS using OPS type A and OPS type B ELISAs. Of the 1035 samples, 75 (7.25%, 95% CI: 5.8–9%) were seropositive to the OPS-A ELISA using a two standard deviations (SD) cutoff and 19 (1.84%, 95% CI: 1.2–2.9%) at 3 SD. For the OPS-B ELISA, 93/1035 (8.99%, 95% CI: 7.4–10.9%) were seropositive at the 2 SD cutoff, and 28/1035 (2.71%, 95% CI: 1.9–3.9%) at the 3 SD cutoff. Pigs slaughtered in central Uganda were exposed to B. pseudomallei, and there is a higher seroprevalence in the rainy months. Public health awareness campaigns about melioidosis may be needed.