The isolation of 98/ASF/NG, a strain of African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) associated with a 1998 epizootic in Nigeria, is reported. This first isolate of the virus from West Africa was identified through a successful polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and sequencing of a 280 base pair (bp) fragment of the Major Capsid Protein (VP72) gene. Further amplification and sequence analysis of a 1.9 kilobase pair (kbp) fragment encompassing the complete VP72 gene showed that the isolate has a 92.2%, 92.4%, and 97.2% homology with previously sequenced Ugandan, Dominican Republican and Spanish isolates respectively. Of the 50 nucleotide changes observed in this highly conserved gene, 45 were found to result in 40 amino acid changes clustered around the central region (position 426 to 516) of the VP 72 protein while changes at the remaining 5 positions were silent. These changes also led to the loss of two out of the seven potential N-glycosylation sites which are in this gene conserved among all isolates. The possible epizootiological implications of such mutations in a highly conserved gene of a DNA virus is discussed in relation to this outbreak.

This study evaluated the effect of fermentation period on the proximate composition, anti-nutritional content, fibre fractions and amino acid profile of cocoa pod husk meal (CPHM). Cocoa pod husk was taken through a solid state fermentation process involving Rhizopus stolonifer as its starter culture for a period of two weeks. The fermented CPHM was dried and analyzed for its proximate composition, anti-nutritional factors, fibre fractions and amino acid profile. The results of the study revealed that the crude protein content of CPHM significantly (P ≤ 0.05) improved during fermentation by 48.59%, while crude fibre and crude lipid decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) by 14 and 22%, respectively after 2 weeks of fermentation. The theobromine, tannin and phytate of the fermented samples decreased by 77.3, 94 and 27% after 14 days fermentation, respectively. Also, the neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), hemicellulose (HEMM) and cellulose (CELL) decreased progressively as the days of fermentation increased and total esssential amino acid (TEAA) of the fermented CPH meal increased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) as days of fermentation increased showing that Rhizopus stolonifer may both enhance CPHM protein quantity and improve its quality. It could be concluded that fermentation with R. stolonifer for 14 days could improve the nutritive value of CPH and thus increase its inclusion in the formulation of diets for animals.

Newcastle disease virus is a paramyxovirus which causes Newcastle disease in birds. Investigation was done on the effect of leaf extract of Phyllanthus amarus against Newcastle disease virus (NDV) using an in-ovo assay. Nine to eleven day-old viable embryonated chicken eggs (ECE) were used for the assay, these were divided into six groups of six eggs each. Methanol, aqueous and n-hexane extracts of the plant leaves were administered to the various groups at concentrations varying from 50 to 5 mg/ml. Embryonated eggs were incubated and embryo survival was monitored daily. Negative control and diluents control groups received phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and dimethly suphoxide (DMSO), respectively. The other group was uninoculated while a virus control group received 100 EID 50 /0.1 ml NDV alone. Bacteria free allantoic fluid from the embryonated eggs in different treatment groups were harvested and collected for spot hemagglutination (HA) test and HA assay to detect the presence of NDV viral particles and the viral titre, respectively. Leaf extracts were assayed for presence of phytochemicals and antioxidant potentials. It was observed from the results that the extract was toxic to the embryo at a concentration above 50 mg/ml and further results showed that the HA viral titre reduction was directly proportional to increasing extract concentration. The phytochemical assays of leaf extract revealed the presence of phytochemicals including alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, phenols, steroids, glycosides. The current findings have demonstrated that leaf extract from P. amarus has potentials of medicinal value as well as antiviral activity against NDV in-ovo. Further experimental assays using live animal models are recommended to validate the use of P. amarus plant extract in therapeutic measure in chickens.

Eleven diets (D1-D11), designated as treatments (T1-T11), supplemented with different levels of inorganic phosphorus (P) (Ca 2 PO4) were fed to Heterobranchus bidorsalis (10.8 ±0.02 g) to determine the optimum P requirement. D1 -D11 contained total P of 10. 2, 10.4, 11.0, 11.9, 12.3, 12.6, 13.4, 13.9, 14.2 14.7 and 15.4 g kg -1 respectively. After 84 days of feeding trial, there was increase in fish growth up to T5 with 12.3g P kg -1 diet, followed by consistent decline in growth towards T11 with the highest P content. However, fish in T5 had the best (P<0.05) growth performance and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Fish in T1 and T2 had the highest (P<0.05) FCR. Carcass protein was the same in T5, T6, T7, T8, T9 and T10, which was higher (P<0.05) than in T1, T2, T3 and T4. Carcass fat content was highest in fish in T1 which also had the lowest water content. P and Ca concentration in fish carcass increased linearly and was highest (P<0.05) in fish in T11, while Mg and Zn were highest (P<0.05) in fish in T5. Data from the study suggest 12.3 g P kg -1 diet as optimum requirement for the growth of Heterobranchus bidorsalis.

Life style and diet are the major causes of the astronomic increase in the number of people living with diabetes mellitus in the developing countries. With the cost of treatments beyond the reach of many, this study aims at using cheap and locally available materials-unripe plantain, rice bran, and soybean cake, to develop functional dough meals and assess their potential for the management of the disease. After preliminary testing, three different blends were selected for high protein and crude fiber contents and used for further analyses. The essential amino acid (40.2-41.5%) of the formulated diets surpasses the 39% recommended for ideal protein food. The dough meals lowered blood glucose by 76% in diabetic rats while stabilizing the lipid profiles of the animals to normal physiological range. Sensory evaluation showed wide acceptance among consumers and highly recommended for the rural poor living with burden of the disease. Practical applicationsThe use of easily accessible and cheap food material will be an effective tool in managing the burden of diabetes ravaging many in the developing countries. The combination of plantain, soybean cake, and rice bran was able to produce functional dough with good nutritional composition, pasting properties, and antidiabetic potential; lowering serum glucose of diabetic rats by more than 70%. Thus, the developed functional dough will be a promising diet that can be recommended for patients with low income suffering from diabetes, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. K E Y W O R D Santinutritional factors, blood glucose, cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, dough meal