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.

Rabies awareness among dog owners and detection of antibody levels against rabies in dogs presented for treatment at selected veterinary clinics in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria.

This study was conducted to profile the antibody levels to rabies in dogs presented at veterinary clinics and determine rabies awareness among dog owners in Abeokuta, Nigeria. Records of dogs' rabies vaccination were obtained to determine their vaccination status and number of times they had been vaccinated. Sera from 138 dogs of consenting owners were analysed using indirect ELISA technique to detect rabies antibodies. Structured questionnaire was administered to 138 dog owners to determine their awareness on rabies. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi­square, ANOVA and t­test at p ≤ 0.05. Of 138 dogs screened, 114 (82.6%) had history of vaccination against rabies. Of these 114, 87 (76.3%) were seronegative; however, 5 (3.6%) of the 24 unvaccinated dogs were seropositive. Overall, 32 (23.2%) comprising 15 (10.8%) males and 17 (12.3%) females had positive rabies antibodies level. Five (3.6%), 3 (12.1%) and 24 (17.4%) were seropositive among dogs of < 6 months, 6­12 months and > 1 year of age, respectively. Dogs > 1 year had significantly higher antibodies than < 6 months (p < 0.05). Most (86.9%) of the dog owners were aware of rabies. The low seroconversion in vaccinated dogs and prevalence of rabies antibodies in unvaccinated dogs are of public health concern. There is need for regular sero­profiling of vaccinated and unvaccinated dogs.

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. Data were sourced at County Reference Hospitals and at the Liberia National Institute of Health for these cities and their local environs. In addition, household questionnaire survey was used to identify and audit data quality for unreported DBVs, and treatment received from traditional caregivers. The proportion was used to audit the 10-year data on unreported DBVs in the cities. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize annual DBVs over the 10-year period in the three cities, respectively. A standardized clinical decision tree model was used to estimate AHDs due to suspected rabies. Based on questionnaire survey, 140/365, 148/375 and 146/350 DBVs did not visit any orthodox health facility in Buchanan, Gbarnga and Voinjama cities, respectively in 2014. An estimated total of 559 DBVs died of suspected rabies in the three cities and their environs during the 10-year period. Mean yearly prevalence of DBVs was 179±106.82, 393±257.85 and 76.9±38.11 per 100,000 population, while mean AHDs due to suspected rabies was 14.3±8.47, 35.5±23.25, and 6.1±3.21 per 100,000 population in Buchanan, Gbarnga, and Voinjama cities, respectively. The present findings provide annual prevalence of suspected rabies cases, corrected for under-reporting in three selected cities of Liberia. The findings would be useful in planning for stepwise actions towards rabies elimination, ensuring that no human dies of rabies in Liberia by 2030.

Prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in slaughtered cattle and factors associated with risk of disease transmission among cattle handlers at Oko-Oba Abattoir, Lagos, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a zoonotic disease of major public health importance, especially in many developing countries, including Nigeria, where control measures are largely not applied, and the risks of human infection are high. This study was aimed at determining the current prevalence of bTB in slaughtered cattle and identifying factors associated with the risk of disease transmission among cattle handlers toward making informed control measures to limit human-animal interface disease transmission. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum samples at slaughter and lesions suggestive of bTB collected during postmortem examination of 187 slaughtered cattle at the Oko-Oba Abattoir, Agege, Lagos State, Nigeria, were subjected to lateral flow and Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) techniques, respectively. Furthermore, a structured questionnaire was interviewer-administered to 156 cattle handlers to investigate associated exposure factors to bTB infection. Data were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: The prevalence of bTB in cattle was 25.7% and 7.0% by lateral flow technique and ZN, respectively. The seropositivity was highest in cattle with poor body condition (50.0%), then with good (36.4%) and fair (25.0%) body conditions. The questionnaire survey revealed that being in livestock handling business for >6 years (p=0.001), not knowing the mode of transmission (p=0.02) and ignoring TB lesions at slaughter (p=0.02) were exposure factors associated with increased risk of bTB infection among the cattle handlers. Further, multivariate analysis showed that those who spent more than 6 years in livestock handling were about 4 times (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=3.5; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.1-7.6, p=0.01) more likely to be exposed to bTB infection than those with lesser years. Again, respondents who called the attention of meat inspectors on seeing lesions in animals were about 4 times less likely to be exposed to bTB infection than those who ignored it (AOR=0.3; CI=0.1-0.8, p=0.01). CONCLUSION: This study has reiterated the endemicity of bTB in cattle population in Nigeria, with the prevalence of 25.7% and 7.0% of bTB by lateral flow and ZN techniques, respectively. This portends potential risk for disease transmission at the human-animal interface, particularly at the abattoir setting. The study also identified important knowledge and practice gaps which would enable informed, all-inclusive, and well-directed programs for effective control of the disease in both human and cattle populations.

Seroprevalence of brucellosis and associated factors among livestock slaughtered in Oko-Oba abattoir, Lagos State, southwestern Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: Brucella infection, a neglected tropical zoonosis, poses public health threat to abattoir workers in developing countries including Nigeria. Oko-Oba abattoir is one of the largest abattoirs in the country that collects livestock from different parts of the country. This study determined the prevalence and factors associated with seropositivity of brucellosis among livestock slaughtered at Oko-Oba abattoir. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to May 2018. A total of 473 serum samples were collected from livestock at the abattoir and tested for antibodies to Brucella species using the Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and indirect Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (iELISA). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi square test (p < 0.05). RESULTS: Overall seroprevalence values were 15.3% (RBPT) and 16.3% (iELISA) among the livestock slaughtered at the Oko-Oba abattoir. Seroprevalence of 17.2% (RBPT) and 15.8% (iELISA) in cattle; 15.1% (RBPT) and 14.5% (iELISA) in goat; and 8.3% (RBPT) and 23.3% (iELISA) in sheep were obtained. Higher seroprevalence were recorded among females in cattle (18.8% iELISA) and sheep (23.1% iELISA) while male goats had average value higher (14.7% iELISA) than the female (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Presence of Brucella infection among slaughtered livestock was confirmed at Oko-Oba abattoir, Lagos State, Nigeria and poses a threat to abattoir workers and public health. Control of the disease in livestock and use of personal protective gear is recommended.

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, Mystomys natalensis, 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. Serum samples obtained between August 2015 and December 2017 from 62 monkeys belonging to six species in Southern Nigeria were tested for LASV as part of an ongoing surveillance of monkeys in the region for zoonotic pathogens. Commercially available Recombinant LASV (ReLASV) Pan-Lassa enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test kits (Zalgen Labs, Germantown, MD, USA) were used to detect antibodies (IgG and IgM) and antigen specific for LASV nucleoprotein in the sera. Lassa-fever-specific IgG and IgM, and antigen specific for LASV nucleoprotein were detected in 5/62, 0/62, and 1/62 samples, respectively. The presence of LASV-specific antibodies in the sera suggests natural exposure to the virus, while the presence of LASV antigen may mean that monkeys are carriers of the virus. There is a need to broaden Lassa fever surveillance to include nonhuman primates (NHPs) for their probable role in the epidemiology of the disease.HIGHLIGHTS.• Rodents are the natural reservoirs of Lassa fever virus (LASV) and humans are the defined hosts.• Experimental LASV infections in non-human primates (NHP) are fatal but natural infection of NHP with the virus have not been reported.• We detected antigen and antibody specific for LASV in free-living Monkeys from southern Nigeria which implies that monkeys in the region are naturally exposed to LASV and are probable carriers of the virus.