Prevalence of Newcastle disease virus in feces of free-range turkeys in Enugu, Nigeria.

Background And Aim: Newcastle disease (ND) virus of free-range turkeys may be linked to outbreaks of ND in backyard chickens seen during Harmattan in Enugu State in Southeast Nigeria. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of ND virus and (NDV) detect NDV in the feces of free-range, domestic turkeys in Enugu, Nigeria.

Materials And Methods: A total of 569 serum and 569 cloacal swab samples were collected from adult turkeys in selected households that keep turkeys and chickens together in the study area.

Atrophy of the lymphoid organs and suppression of antibody response caused by velogenic Newcastle disease virus infection in chickens.

This project was undertaken to study the immunosuppressive capabilities of velogenic viscerotropic pathotype of Newcastle disease virus (VVNDV) infection in cockerels. Two hundred six-week-old cockerels were divided into four groups. Groups B/VUC and C/VC were vaccinated with LaSota in drinking water at 6 weeks of age.

Vitamin A dietary supplementation reduces the mortality of velogenic Newcastle disease significantly in cockerels.

This project was undertaken to find ways of reducing mortalities and economic losses due to velogenic Newcastle disease (VND) in areas where the disease is enzootic. Four groups of cockerels of 44 birds each were used for this experiment. The birds in groups 1 and 2 received no dietary vitamin A supplementation, whereas groups 3 and 4 received 300 iu and 600 iu of vitamin A per kilogram of commercial feed, respectively, from 1 week of age till the end of the experiment.

Evidence for subclinical H5N1 avian influenza infections among Nigerian poultry workers.

In recent years Nigeria has experienced sporadic incursions of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza among poultry. In 2008, 316 poultry-exposed agricultural workers, and 54 age-group matched non-poultry exposed adults living in the Enugu or Ebonyi States of Nigeria were enrolled and then contacted monthly for 24 months to identify acute influenza-like-illnesses. Annual follow-up sera and questionnaire data were collected at 12 and 24 months.