La production de volailles occupe une place prépondérante dans l’économie nigériane. Toutefois, l’utilisation abusive des antibiotiques par les éleveurs de volailles a entraîné une multirésistance et nuit à l’efficacité des traitements antibiotiques dans l’industrie. Cette étude a été réalisée afin d’évaluer l’utilisation d’antibiotiques dans les exploitations avicoles commerciales. Une enquête a été menée à l’aide d’un questionnaire structuré destiné aux chefs d’exploitation pour obtenir des informations sur les caractéristiques socio-économiques des propriétaires ou desdits chefs, les types d’antibiotiques utilisés, la fréquence et la raison de leur utilisation, la sensibilisation à l’usage des antibiotiques et à leurs problèmes associés, et les sources d’information privilégiées par les éleveurs pour un recours raisonnable aux antibiotiques. Le niveau d’instruction des interviewés était universitaire ou équivalent (70,9 %), collège ou lycée (12,6 %), ou sans éducation formelle (13,6 %). Les antibiotiques étaient utilisés principalement en prophylaxie (> 60 %) et en thérapeutique (< 15 %). La gentamicine (76,7 %) était l’antibiotique le plus utilisé, venaient ensuite la tétracycline (64,1 %), l’enrofloxacine et la ciprofloxacine (57,3 %), la furazolidone (49,5 %), la streptomycine(46,6 %), la furaltadone (43,7 %), le chloramphénicol (41,7 %), la pénicilline (25,2 %), l’érythromycine (24,3 %), et l’acide nalidixique (11,7 %). Environ la moitié des exploitations agricoles utilisaient les produits interdits que sont la furazolidone et le chloramphénicol. Au total 82 (79,6 %) éleveurs savaient que l’utilisation aléatoire d’antibiotiques dans le traitement de maladies incorrectement diagnostiquées pouvait conduire à la résistance aux antibiotiques. Cependant, 73 (70,9 %) étaient moins informés sur le fait qu’un mauvais usage des antibiotiques chez les animaux constitue une grave menace en santé humaine. Les antibiotiques n’étaient pas utilisés avec prudence par les producteurs de volailles. Le manque de sensibilisation de ces derniers à cette situation serait un facteur qui y contribuerait. Les résultats de cette enquête devraient permettre d’élaborer des politiques pertinentes pour établir un contrôle de l’utilisation des antibiotiques dans les élevages de volailles au Nigeria.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in humans has been linked to non-judicious antimicrobial use (AMU) in food animals. To develop antimicrobial stewardship plans (AMSPs) for pig farmers, there is the need to understand the current status of AMU and the driving factors in the industry. Data on AMU, farmers’ perceptions of associated drivers, and biosecurity were collected through a mixed-method study design with focus group discussions (FGDs) and questionnaire-based interviews. Antimicrobials (AMs) were mainly used for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. Common AMs used were tetracycline (78.8%), gentamycin (53.8%), and tylosin (52.5%). Perceived drivers of AMU were linked to economic benefits, farmers’ previous experiences, sick animals, expensive veterinary services, easy accessibility to over-the-counter drugs, poor farm practices, and poor disease prevention strategies. AMU was poor (average 40.2%), while knowledge on AMs and implications for animal and human health was considered averagely satisfactory (56.4%). The biosecurity level was also satisfactory (53.0%) and significantly associated with having a written farm health plan (p = 0.035). Good AMU was found to be strongly associated with farmers’ use of veterinary services (p = 0.001). Diverse factors drive antimicrobial use among pig farmers in Ogun State, and these could be addressed by providing continuing education on antimicrobial stewardship and best farm practices.

Understanding the knowledge and perceptions of veterinary students of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as potential future prescribers of antimicrobials may serve as an opportunity to improve stewardship of AMR. Pre-final (n = 42) and final (n = 29) year veterinary students of the University of Pretoria completed questionnaires to determine their knowledge and perceptions of AMR. Of the 71 respondents, mixed practice (48%) and small animal practice (45%) were the most preferred career choices post-graduation, with the field of gross pathology being the least preferred. Over 80% of the respondents believed that veterinary practitioners’ misuse of antimicrobials contributes to AMR and a higher percentage (98.6%) believed that farmers’ misuse of antimicrobials encourages the development of AMR, in particular, in food animals (60.6%) compared to companion animals (50.7%). Agreement in the ranking of abuse of antimicrobials between pre-final and final year students was fair (36.4%; kappa 0.3), and the most abused antimicrobials in descending order listed by the students were tetracyclines, penicillins, sulphonamides and aminoglycosides. There was wide disparity between training and potential field application, as well as variations in the correct matching of antimicrobials to their respective antibiotic classes. Responses to the clinical application of antimicrobials also varied widely. Despite the apparent teaching of AMR to veterinary students, gaps may exist in the translation of theoretical concepts to clinical applications, hence the need for focused and targeted antimicrobial prescription and stewardship training to bridge these potential identified gaps.

The novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic with an increasing public health concern. Due to the non-availability of a vaccine against the disease, non-pharmaceutical interventions constitute major preventive and control measures. However, inadequate knowledge about the disease and poor perception might limit compliance. This study examined COVID-19-related knowledge, practices, perceptions and associated factors amongst undergraduate veterinary medical students in Nigeria. A cross-sectional web survey was employed to collect data from 437 consenting respondents using pre-tested self-administered questionnaire (August 2020). Demographic factors associated with the knowledge and adoption of recommended preventive practices towards COVID-19 were explored using multivariate logistic regression at P ≤ 0.05. The respondents’ mean knowledge and practice scores were 22.7 (SD ± 3.0) and 24.1 (SD ± 2.9), respectively with overall 63.4% and 88.8% displaying good knowledge and satisfactory practice levels. However, relatively lower proportions showed adherence to avoid touching face or nose (19.5%), face mask-wearing (58.1%), and social distancing (57.4%). Being in the 6th year of study (OR = 3.18, 95%CI: 1.62–6.26, P = 0.001) and female (OR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.11–4.41, P = 0.024) were significant positive predictors of good knowledge and satisfactory practices, respectively. While only 30% of the respondents perceived the pandemic as a scam or a disease of the elites (24.0%), the respondents were worried about their academics being affected negatively (55.6%). Veterinary Medical Students in Nigeria had good knowledge and satisfactory preventive practices towards COVID-19; albeit with essential gaps in the key non-pharmaceutical preventive measures recommended by the WHO. Therefore, there is a need to step up enlightenment and targeted campaigns about COVID-19 pandemic.

Veterinary practices or activities expose professionals, including students, to hazards associated with animal contact. To describe workplace health and safety status and risk factors associated with hazards among veterinary clinical students in South West Nigeria, a cross-sectional survey was conducted using a semistructured questionnaire. Data on demographics, health and safety (HS) status, work-related hazards, healthcare facilities, and immunisation history were obtained. Of 167 students recruited, 100 (60.2%) were males, and >77.1% fell within the age group of 21–25 years. Many participants (77.0%) reported the lack of active HS committee. Exposures to various physical hazards (PHs) such as needlestick injuries (NSIs, 41.5%), animal scratches (42.0%), animal kicks (33.0%), falls/slips (25.0%), and, less frequently, animal bites (13.8%) were reported. Allergies (35.9%) and acute gastrointestinal infection (25.6%) mainly after contact with dogs presented with parvoviral enteritis were reported. For chemical hazards, 27.8% and 29.0% of participants indicated having had eye burn and choke on exposure to formalin. No adequate immunisation against either tetanus, rabies, or both was provided (<18%). An association between accommodation type and students’ level of health and safety training was observed (OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.241–0.897, p=0.02), and frequencies of student contact with various animal types were strongly associated with exposures to different physical and biological risks (p<0.05). This study revealed poor health and safety training, practices, and increased exposure of students to a wide range of hazards. Therefore, the development of mitigation programmes in veterinary schools becomes critical to safeguard students’ wellbeing.