Evaluation of DF-1 cell culture based vaccine development for infectious bursal disease virus in Ethiopia.

Infectious Bursal Disease is a highly contagious, immunosuppressive viral disease of young chicks caused by the Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV). The study was carried out at the National Veterinary Institute (NVI) of Ethiopia to evaluate the competence of the DF-1 cell culture adapted vaccine strain of IBDV as a vaccine candidate. DF-1 cells at passage 27 confluent monolayer was infected with 1 ml of LC-75 vaccine strain virus by adsorption method and recorded as passage 1 (P).

Seroprevalence and determinants of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato infection among owned dogs in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Introduction: Humans acquire cystic echinococcosis through accidental ingestion of Echinococcus granulosus (EG) eggs released into the environment by infected dogs. This study aimed to determine the presence of EG antibodies and their determinants in owned dogs in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Methodology: Sera from 185 dogs on routine visits to veterinary clinics were analysed by indirect ELISA.

A Retrospective Study of the Seroprevalence of Dengue Virus and Chikungunya Virus Exposures in Nigeria, 2010-2018.

Arboviruses are important public health threats in many regions of the world. Nigeria has experienced outbreaks of arboviruses over the past decades, leading to concerns of widespread endemicity, which are frequently misdiagnosed. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of dengue virus (DENV) (a flavivirus) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV) (an alphavirus) infections in three major population centers of Nigeria.

Detection of African swine fever virus in pigs in Southwest Nigeria.

Background And Aim: Nigeria experienced repeated outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) in pig herds between 1997 and 2005 in the southwest region of the country. ASF is believed to currently be enzootic in this region. The status of enzootic transmission of ASF virus strain to pigs is; however, unknown.

Serological Detection of Flavivirus Infections in Saudi Baboons.

To evaluate the risk to public health from Flaviviruses in the southwest region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, we screened as sentinels, 50 commensal hamadryas baboons located at a peri-domestic site on the outskirts of Ta'if City in February 2013. Of the baboons, 12% [95% CI 5, 24], 0% [95% CI 0, 7] and 10% [95% CI 3, 22] were seropositive in a pan-Flavivirus ELISA (anti-pan-WNV 1-2, Usutu, Zika), Dengue virus 1-4 ELISA (anti-DENV 1-4) and WNV-1 PRNT, respectively, indicating Flavirus exposures of the subjects with possible risk to public health in the area.

Improving dog bite victim survey and estimation of annual human deaths due to suspected rabies cases in three selected Liberian cities and environs, 2008-2017.

Rabies remains a public health challenge of unknown magnitude in Liberia in spite of the goal of ensuring that no human in the country dies of rabies by 2030. The annual prevalence of Dog Bite Victims (DBVs) and true load of Annual Human Deaths (AHDs) due to rabies were not known. We investigated three selected cities of Liberia for annual prevalence of DBVs and true load of AHD due to suspected rabies, using 10-year retrospective record, 2008-2017 obtained from Buchanan, Gbarnga, and Voinjama, three socio-economically important cities in post-conflict Liberia.

Bat and Lyssavirus Exposure among Humans in Area that Celebrates Bat Festival, Nigeria, 2010 and 2013.

Using questionnaires and serologic testing, we evaluated bat and lyssavirus exposure among persons in an area of Nigeria that celebrates a bat festival. Bats from festival caves underwent serologic testing for phylogroup II lyssaviruses (Lagos bat virus, Shimoni bat virus, Mokola virus). The enrolled households consisted of 2,112 persons, among whom 213 (10%) were reported to have ever had bat contact (having touched a bat, having been bitten by a bat, or having been scratched by a bat) and 52 (2%) to have ever been bitten by a bat.

Dog rabies control in West and Central Africa: A review.

Rabies is a neglected but preventable zoonotic disease that predominantly affects the most vulnerable populations living in remote rural areas of resource-limited countries. To date, every country on the African mainland is considered endemic for dog-mediated rabies with an estimated 21'500 human rabies deaths occurring each year. In 2018, the United Against Rabies collaboration launched the Global Strategic Plan to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.

Detection of Antibody and Antigen for Lassa Virus Nucleoprotein in Monkeys from Southern Nigeria.

Lassa fever is a deadly viral haemorrhagic fever caused by Lassa Virus (LASV). Rodents, especially, , are the known reservoirs of LASV and humans are the defined hosts. Monkeys share many illnesses with humans and experimental LASV infections in monkeys are fatal but natural LASV infection of monkeys has not been reported.

Syndromic survey and molecular analysis of influenza viruses at the human-swine interface in two West African cosmopolitan cities suggest the possibility of bidirectional interspecies transmission.

Influenza viruses are frequently transmitted between pigs and their handlers, and among pig handlers. However, reports on socio-environmental variables as potential risk factors associated with transmission of influenza in West African swine production facilities are very scarce. Syndromic survey for influenza was therefore conducted in Ibadan, Nigeria, and Kumasi, Ghana, in order to identify and elucidate selected socio-environmental variables that may contribute to the occurrence and distribution of influenza-like illness (ILI) among swine industry workers.

Comparative non-metric and morphometric analyses of rats at residential halls of the University of Benin campus, Nigeria.

Background: In mammals and across rat species, the variation in conformation is markedly observed in the head and the variation in the shape of the head is mostly determined by the shape of the skull. Hence comparative topographic analysis and morphometry is a veritable tool in precise categorization of peri-domestic rats and species identification.

Methods: Killed rodents around residential dwellings of students on campus were collected and measurements taken of external morphology.

Time series analysis and mortality model of dog bite victims presented for treatment at a referral clinic for rabies exposure in Monrovia, Liberia, 2010-2013.

We developed time trend model, determined treatment outcome and estimated annual human deaths among dog bite victims (DBVs) from 2010 to 2013 in Monrovia, Liberia. Data obtained from clinic records included victim's age, gender and site of bite marks, site name of residence of rabies-exposed patients, promptness of care sought, initial treatment and post-exposure-prophylaxis (PEP) compliance. We computed DBV time-trend plot, seasonal index and year 2014 case forecast.

Spatial pattern of foot-and-mouth disease virus serotypes in North Central Nigeria.

Aim: This study aimed to determine the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotypes circulating, the prevalence of FMDV serotypes, and the spatial distribution of FMDV among sedentary and pastoral cattle herds in the North-Central Nigeria.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken, during which a total of 155 sera that tested positive for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) 3ABC non-structural protein antibodies were selected and screened for FMD structural protein serotypes, A, O, SAT 1, and SAT 2 using a solid-phase competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Epithelial tissue specimens were collected during outbreak investigations which were tested for FMD using an antigen capture ELISA for serotype A, O, SAT 1, and SAT 2.

Preventive and social cost implications of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak on selected organizations in Lagos state, Nigeria.

Introduction: As Ebola virus disease (EVD) continues to pose public health challenge in West Africa, with attending fears and socio-economic implications in the current epidemic challenges. It is compelling to estimate the social and preventive costs of EVD containment in a Nigerian city. Hence, this study was to determine the social and preventive cost implications of EVD among selected public institutions in Lagos, Nigeria, from July to December, 2014.

Detection of pandemic strain of influenza virus (A/H1N1/pdm09) in pigs, West Africa: implications and considerations for prevention of future influenza pandemics at the source.

Background: Human and animal influenza are inextricably linked. In particular, the pig is uniquely important as a mixing vessel for genetic reassortment of influenza viruses, leading to emergence of novel strains which may cause human pandemics. Significant reduction in transmission of influenza viruses from humans, and other animals, to swine may therefore be crucial for preventing future influenza pandemics.

Development of a time-trend model for analyzing and predicting case-pattern of Lassa fever epidemics in Liberia, 2013-2017.

Objective: The objective was to develop a case-pattern model for Lassa fever (LF) among humans and derive predictors of time-trend point distribution of LF cases in Liberia in view of the prevailing under-reporting and public health challenge posed by the disease in the country.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective 5 years data of LF distribution countrywide among humans were used to train a time-trend model of the disease in Liberia. A time-trend quadratic model was selected due to its goodness-of-fit (R2 = 0.

The rubber plantation environment and Lassa fever epidemics in Liberia, 2008-2012: a spatial regression.

As Lassa fever continues to be a public health challenge in West Africa, it is critical to produce good maps of its risk pattern for use in active surveillance and control intervention. We identified eight spatial features related to the rubber plantation environment and used them as explanatory variables for Lassa fever (LF) outbreaks on the Uniroyal Liberian Agricultural Company (LAC) rubber plantation environment in Grand Bassa County, Liberia. We computed classical and spatial lag regression models on all spatial features, including proximity of residential camp to rubber tree-edge, main road in the plantation, LAC hospital, rice farmland, household refuse dump, human population density, post-harvest storage density of rice and density of rodent deterrent on rice storage.

It is over three decades of graduate education in Epizootiology at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria (1975-2011): is there a need to revise the curriculum?

Epizootiology is the study of variable factors, events, forces and circumstances that contribute to the occurrence, distribution, control and prevention of ill-health, diseases and other problems in animal groups. It is a key component of veterinary medicine education at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria since 1975. It started as a Graduate Certificate in Epizootiology (GCE) in 1976.

Prevalence of antibody against rabies among confined, free-roaming and stray dogs in a transit city of Nigeria.

The prevalence of anti-glycoprotein antibodies against rabies virus is studied in the sera of confined, free-roaming and stray dogs in Ilorin, the capital city of Kwara State, Nigeria. A quantitative indirect enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (i-ELISA) was used to detect rabies virus anti-glycoprotein antibodies in sera from 116 confined, 61 free-roaming, and 13 stray dogs. The sera were collected between June and December 2008 from apparently healthy dogs.

Isolation of influenza A viruses from pigs in Ibadan, Nigeria.

The authors investigated influenza virus types in pigs in Ibadan, a city in Oyo State, south-western Nigeria. From April to June 2008, nasal swabs were collected from pigs at three locations in Ibadan. Influenza A viruses (four A [H1N1], two A [H3N2] and one A [H1N1]-A [H3N2] double reactant) were isolated from 7 of the 50 apparently healthy Landrace pigs tested.

Antibody levels against rabies among occupationally exposed individuals in a Nigerian University.

The authors investigated the levels of anti-glycoprotein antibodies against rabies virus in the sera of occupationally exposed humans at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. A quantitative indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect rabies virus anti-glycoprotein antibodies in sera from 20 zoological garden workers, 20 veterinarians and 30 clinical veterinary students at the University of Ibadan. The sera were obtained between September 2008 and February 2009.

Pattern of spread of African swine fever in south-western Nigeria, 1997-2005.

Geographic coordinates of selected pig farms with confirmed African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks in Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and Oyo States were used to create spatial models of pig farms and ASF outbreaks in south-western Nigeria between 1997 and 2005. The probability of ASF virus-free pigs remaining in a non-infected state when located at various distances from ASF virus infected pigs was estimated. Movement of infected stock was the most important means of spreading the virus.