Peste‐des‐petits‐ruminants (PPR) and Goat pox (GTP) are two devastating and economically important transboundary animal diseases of small ruminants in Africa and Asia that have been difficult to control. This study however, investigated an outbreak of PPR and GTP in a mixed flock of indigenous sheep and goats in Kanam, North Central Nigeria. A total of nine sera and seven tissues (lungs, spleen, scab and skin) samples were collected and analysed in the laboratory using competitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) for PPR antibodies and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of PPR virus (PPRV) and GTP virus (GTPV). Gene fragments of the nucleoprotein of PPRV and the G‐protein‐coupled chemokine receptor (GPCR) of GTPV were amplified and sequenced to confirm the presence of the causative viruses. Serologically, antibodies to PPRV were detected in all (9/9) sera collected. GTPV and PPRV was detected in corresponding samples (42.8% n = 3/7) of the scab/skin samples collected by both PCR and RT‐PCR technique. The phylogenetic analysis of PPRV revealed that the virus belongs to lineage IV and clustered with viruses from Gabon and Cameroon. Similarly, the GTPV also clustered with other sequences from Burkina Faso and Yemen. The positive cELISA, RT‐PCR and PCR results from samples collected from the same animals confirmed co‐infection of PPR and GTP in this mixed flock of sheep and goats. This is the first report of concurrent infection of PPR and GTP in mixed flock of sheep and goats in Nigeria. Our findings underscore the need for farmers to vaccinate their flock to control spread and economic losses as result of these diseases.

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), together with sheeppox virus and goatpox virus, belong to the genus Capripoxvirus within the family Poxviridae. Collectively, they are considered the most serious poxvirus diseases of agricultural livestock. Due to their severe clinical course and consequent loss of production, as well as high mortality of naïve small and large ruminant populations, they are known to have a significant impact on the economy and global trade restrictions of affected countries. Therefore, all capripox diseases are classified as notifiable under the guidelines of the World Organization of Animal Health (OIE). Since the 1970s, several outbreaks of LSD have been recorded in Nigeria. Until now, only a little information on the virus strains leading to the reported outbreaks have been published, dealing mainly with the phylogenetic relationship of those strains and the description of field outbreaks. During the present study, we experimentally infected cattle with a low-passage Nigerian LSDV strain isolated from a skin sample of LSD positive cattle in Nigeria in 2018. Clinical, molecular and serological data indicate that this LSDV isolate is highly pathogenic in cattle since it induced a severe clinical course and approximately 33% mortality in naïve Holstein Friesian cattle after experimental infection.

The experiments were performed in order to determine the effect of 8-h road transportation of pigs on erythrocytes osmotic fragility during the hot-dry season, and the ameliorative role of ascorbic acid. Twenty-three adult pigs comprising of both sexes served as subjects for the study. Thirteen pigs administered ascorbic acid (AA) per os 30 min before transportation, at a dose rate of 100 mg/kg served as experimental animals, while ten pigs administered with distilled water per os served as control, and were transported for 8 h during the hot-dry season. EDTA blood samples collected a day before (pre-transportation), immediately after 8-h transportation and 7 days post-transportation were used to determine erythrocyte osmotic fragility. The ambient temperature (AT) and relative humidity (RH) measured within the vehicle ranged between 30.5-39.0 °C and 40.0-71.0% respectively. These values were outside the thermoneutral zone for the pig, indicating that the season was thermally stressful. Results obtained showed a significant difference (p<0.05) in percent haemolysis recorded at NaCl concentrations of 0.4% and 0.6% immediately after transportation in experimental pigs and at 0.5, 0.6, 0.8 and 0.9% NaCl concentrations in experimental pigs 7 days post-transportation. In conclusion, result from the present study indicated that 8-h road transportation during the hot-dry season could induce stress resulting in haemolysis of erythrocytes and AA administration ameliorated the stress.

Viral skin diseases namely lumpy skin disease (LSD), bovine papilloma (BP), goat pox (GTP) and contagious ecthyma (CE) have been reported in Plateau State, but our search through literatures did not reveal any documented prevalence rates of these diseases. A retrospective study of LSD, BP, GTP and CE was carried out based on Jos abattoir (2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015)(2016) and laboratory records of National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Nigeria (2010-2016. Based on the Jos Abattoir records, the prevalence rates were as follows LSD: 0.13% and BP 0.5% in Cattle. The prevalence of CE was 4.2%in sheep and 3.6% in goats. While LSD was diagnosed only in 2005, 2008 and 2016, BP was diagnosed every year except 2013, 2015 and 2016. Comparatively, CE was diagnosed in every year and month of the period reviewed. The analysis of records revealed that 11 samples were submitted for lab confirmation from suspected cases of LSD, 45.4% of which were positive by PCR. Additionally, 10 samples submitted for lab confirmation from suspected cases of GTP and 40% of the samples analyzed were positive by PCR. Of the 11 samples submitted for lab confirmation of CE, 36.4% of samples were confirmed to be CE by PCR. The laboratory results validate the Jos abattoir records which confirm that LSD, GTP and CE occur in Plateau State, Nigeria.

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), popularly known as 'mad cow disease', led to an epidemic in Europe that peaked in the mid-1990s. Its impact on developing countries, such as Nigeria, has not been fully established as information on livestock and surveillance has eluded those in charge of this task. The BSE risk to Nigeria's cattle population currently remains undetermined, which has resulted in international trade restrictions on commodities from the cattle population. This is mainly because of a lack of updated BSE risk assessments and disease surveillance data. To evaluate the feasibility of BSE surveillance in Nigeria, we carried out a pilot study targeting cattle that were presented for emergency or casualty slaughter. In total, 1551 cattle of local breeds, aged 24 months and above were clinically examined. Ataxia, recumbency and other neurological signs were topmost on our list of criteria. A total of 96 cattle, which correspond to 6.2%, presented clinical signs that supported a suspect of BSE. The caudal brainstem tissues of these animals were collected post-mortem and analysed for the disease-specific form of the prion protein using a rapid test approved by the International Animal Health Organization (OIE). None of the samples were positive for BSE. Although our findings do not exclude the presence of BSE in Nigeria, they do demonstrate that targeted sampling of clinically suspected cases of BSE is feasible in developing countries. In addition, these findings point to the possibility of implementing clinical monitoring schemes for BSE and potentially other diseases with grave economic and public health consequences.