Foot and Mouth Disease in Nigeria- The Current Status and Control Efforts

Abstract

Foot and mouth disease (FMD), is a highly contagious viral trans-boundary disease of both domestic and wild cloven hoofed animals characterized by high morbidity and decreased livestock productivity, while affected countries are being excluded from international animal trade. The first Nigerian reported and typed outbreak was in the early '50s amongst herds from the NorthEast with subsequent reports around the country. These reports confirm endemicity of FMD with serious economic losses due to serotypes A and SAT 2 outbreaks. In an update of FMD by Nwanta and Ojemiren in 1999, serotypes A, O, SAT 1 and SAT 2 were reported as been responsible for disease outbreaks in Northern Nigeria. Antibodies to SAT1 and SAT2 serotypes have also been demonstrated, while Knowles and his colleagues in 2008 reported serotype O and SAT2 from outbreaks. These findings updated the information on the FMD World Reference laboratory, (Pirbright, UK) data base which stated that serotypes O, A, SAT1 and SAT2 have been circulating in Nigeria in the last 54 years (1955-2009). Early detection is essential for effective control and requires rapid, sensitive method of viral serotype diagnosis that is responsible for the outbreak and selection of an appropriate emergency vaccine which is currently unavailable in Nigeria. This challenge forced the local herdsmen to seek for self-help medication (herbs) and a few seek the expertise of Veterinary personnel while others practice the concept called "Dashse" characterized by guarded prognosis due to absence of cross immunity amongst serotypes. Fostered collaboration with development partners as well as neighboring affected countries in areas of control is thus suggested.

Molecular Epidemiology of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus in the Context of Transboundary Animal Movement in the Far North Region of Cameroon

“…In this study, serotype A viruses were represented by a single outbreak from a native sedentary herd in 2014, and the viruses grouped with viruses from Nigeria collected between 2009 and 2015, indicating a pattern of regional transmission similar to that observed for serotype O. Previous studies have also indicated a close relationship between Nigerian FMDV serotype A isolates and FMDV isolates from Cameroon (21), most likely due to animal trade (54). In contrast, isolates collected in other regions of Cameroon in 2012 and 2005 were more distantly related to the sequences obtained in the current study, which suggests a pattern of repeated introductions.…”

Serological detection of foot and mouth disease antibodies in apparenty healthy pigs within federal capital territory, Abuja

“…Despite the shortfall in protein intake and eminent need to raise livestock productivity, production of pigs in Nigeria has remained low (Osondu et al,2014) largely due to many factors including disease outbreaks especially those caused by viral diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) (Olabode et al, 2019). FMD also known as 'aphthous fever' or 'infectious aphthous stomatitis" caused by a highly contagious piconavirus in all cloven-hoofed domestic and wild animals including pigs characterized by transboundary transmission (Olabode et al, 2014a) with serious economic threat to the livestock industry (MacLachlan and Dubovi, 2011). The disease spread essentially through direct contact involving mechanical transfer of droplets from infected animals to other susceptible animals and indirect spread through contaminated personnel, vehicles and fomites as well as ingestion of contaminated uncooked swill (Alexandersen et al, 2003) and unheated waste food to pigs (Knowles et al, 2001).…”