Prevalence and associated risk factors of hydatidosis in cattle slaughtered at Wolaita Sodo municipality abattoir.

BACKGROUND: Hydatidosis, caused by the larval stage of the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus, affect cattle by forming hydatid cyst in thier lungs, livers and pose great financial loss in animal production and country's economy by both direct and indirect effect. Despite its great economic and health importance, there is an absence of current information on cystic echinococcosis in cattle slaughtered at Wolaita Sodo municipality abattoir in Ethiopia. OBJECTIVES: Current investigation determines the prevalence, organ distribution and fertility of hydatid cysts in cattle slaughtered at the Wolaita Sodo municipality abattoir in Ethiopia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from February, 2023, to October, 2023, at Wolaita Sodo municipality abattoir in southern Ethiopia, through regular meat examinations and cyst characterisation to determine the prevalence, organ distribution and fertility of hydatid cysts. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of hydatidosis recorede in current study was 17.9% (69/384) and has shown a statistically significant association (p < 0.05) with the body condition of cattle. However, there was no statistically significant association (p > 0.05) between the prevalence of hydatidosis and other risk factors such as sex, breed, production system and origin of animals. This study showed that the lungs and liver were the most affected organs in cattle, followed by the spleen and kidneys. On cyst characterisation, the majority of hydatid cysts were found sterile (55.4%) followed by fertile (38.8%) and calcified (8.7%) cysts. Out of 125 fertile hydatid cysts tested for survival, 18.8% (58/321) were viable and 20% (67/321) were nonviable. CONCLUSION: The finding of this study shows that cystic echinococcus was important health threat of the cattle and widespread in the internal organs of affected cattle causing significant economic loss by condemning edible organs that are not suitable for human consumption. Therefore, urgent and integreted preventive action is needed to disrupt the life cycle of cystic echinococcosis to tackle subsequent financial loss and risk of zoonosis to humans in the study area.

Knowledge and Preventive Practices of Abattoir Workers toward Bovine Tuberculosis in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia.

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a zoonotic bacterial disease of animals that causes substantial economic losses in underdeveloped countries such as Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted from May 2021 to August 2021 in the Wolaita zone, southern Ethiopia using a designed questionnaire to assess risk, perception, and protective behavior against bTB. For this purpose, a total of 250 randomly chosen meat handlers working at six main, purposively selected abattoirs were interviewed, and the data were analyzed using STATA v. 13 software. Of the total participants interviewed, 37.0% (57/152) of the respondents strongly agreed that contracting bTB would prevent them from coming to work, whereas 32.4% (44/136) of them stayed in bed for an extended period. Knowledge-based analysis revealed that butcher house men were more aware than abattoir workers about factors related to the spread of bTB from animals to humans (73.3%), that healthy-looking meat contains bTB-causing pathogens (67.5%), and that consumption of contaminated meat can be a source of infection in humans (65.6%). These findings revealed that abattoir and butcher house employees are at higher risk of bTB exposure and a lack of understanding about the nature and transmission of the infection. Thus, abattoir and butcher house workers should be encouraged to pursue regular medical follow-ups and should be provided with better personal protective equipment.

Seroprevalence and risk factors of sheep and goat pox virus in selected districts of Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia.

IMPORTANCE: Sheep and goat pox (SGP) virus infection is a highly fatal viral infection of small ruminants that causes major production losses in sheep and goats in Ethiopia while also limiting international trade. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of SGP infection and assess related risk variables. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from February to August 2023 on 384 serum samples taken from sheep and goats. A serum neutralization test was conducted to detect the presence of antibodies against the SGP virus in Wolaita Sodo Regional Laboratory. RESULTS: The overall seroprevalence rate of SGP was 4.95%. Factors such as sheep (8.26%), female sheep and goats (7.45%), older sheep and goats (8.33%), larger flock size of sheep and goats (10.47%), poorly conditioned sheep and goats (31.58%), sheep and goats with a tick on their skin (10.38%), and animals that had not been vaccinated (5.17%) were found to have higher seroprevalence. Furthermore, the seropositivity in sheep was five times greater than in goats (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 4.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.39-15.99). Additionally, large-sized flocks of sheep and goats were more likely to be seropositive to pox disease than small-sized flocks (AOR, 6.73; 95% CI, 1.58-28.67). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Thus, the study revealed the prevalence of SGP in the Wolaita zone. Additional research should be conducted to estimate the extent of the disease at the regional level, and management measures should be implemented to reduce the economic losses associated with this condition.

Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Eimeria bovis and Eimeria zuernii in Kacha Bira District, Central Ethiopia.

Background: Eimeriosis, which is caused by several Eimeria species, is a protozoan disease affecting the cattle worldwide. The current investigation was aimed at ascertaining the prevalence of bovine eimeriosis, evaluation of the involved risk variables, and identification of the several Eimeria species that were prevalent in the Kacha Bira district of central Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional coprological assessment of Bovine coccidiosis and its associated risk factors through a simple random sampling technique was conducted from January 2021 to December 2022. Results: The cumulative prevalence of coccidia was 17.83% (82/460) in the current investigation, with Eimeria bovis, Eimeria zuernii, and mixed infections having a respective prevalence of 7.83%, 3.25%, and 6.74%. From the anticipated risk factors, cattle age and months of the year have revealed a statistically significant (p < 0.05) association with the prevalence of eimeriosis in the cattle under investigation. However, there were no statistically significant (p > 0.05) relationships between the coccidia infection and the sex and breed of cattle and the season. Conclusion: During the study, a high prevalence rate of bovine eimeriosis was recorded. Thus, a further detailed study involving molecular techniques to identify prevailing Eimeria species is paramount to develop and put into effect evidence-based control strategies to tackle the prevalence and subsequent effect of eimeriosis.

Potential Causes of Spread of Antimicrobial Resistance and Preventive Measures in One Health Perspective-A Review.

Antimicrobial resistance, referring to microorganisms' capability to subsist and proliferate even when there are antimicrobials is a foremost threat to public health globally. The appearance of antimicrobial resistance can be ascribed to anthropological, animal, and environmental factors. Human-related causes include antimicrobial overuse and misuse in medicine, antibiotic-containing cosmetics and biocides utilization, and inadequate sanitation and hygiene in public settings. Prophylactic and therapeutic antimicrobial misuse and overuse, using antimicrobials as feed additives, microbes resistant to antibiotics and resistance genes in animal excreta, and antimicrobial residue found in animal-origin food and excreta are animals related contributive factors for the antibiotic resistance emergence and spread. Environmental factors including naturally existing resistance genes, improper disposal of unused antimicrobials, contamination from waste in public settings, animal farms, and pharmaceutical industries, and the use of agricultural and sanitation chemicals facilitatet its emergence and spread. Wildlife has a plausible role in the antimicrobial resistance spread. Adopting a one-health approach involving using antimicrobials properly in animals and humans, improving sanitation in public spaces and farms, and implementing coordinated governmental regulations is crucial for combating antimicrobial resistance. Collaborative and cooperative involvement of stakeholders in public, veterinary and ecological health sectors is foremost to circumvent the problem effectively.

Coprological and postmortem assessment and economic significance of bovine fasciolosis in cattle slaughtered at Tarcha Municipal Abattoir, Southern Ethiopia.

Bovine fasciolosis caused by Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica, is a neglected tropical snail-borne trematode disease of cattle that poses an adverse effect on animals' health culminating in economic damage. Cross-sectional investigation on coprological and postmortem assessment and economic significance of bovine fasciolosis in cattle slaughtered at Tarcha Municipal Abattoir, Southern Ethiopia through simple random sampling techniques was conducted from December 2020 to August 2021. Out of 384 cattle examined, 20.3% and 29.94% were found harboring Fasciola through coprological examination and postmortem examination respectively. The leading cause of fasciolosis in the study area was Fasciola gigantica (53.9%) as compared to F. hepatica (46.1%). The investigation revealed that the sex, origin, and body condition of the cattle has a statistically significant effect on the prevalence of bovine fasciolosis. The odds of male animals infested with fasciolosis were 2.25 times higher than female cattle and those of poor body-conditioned cattle were three times higher than cattle with good body condition. In postmortem examination, an average of 6 flukes were found in a single infested liver and the mean fluke count was (10 ± 1.97) in severely infested livers while in lightly infested livers (3± 1.79). Considering postmortem examination as the gold standard for diagnosis of fasciolosis, the sensitivity of the direct sedimentation technique was found to be 68% and the specificity 100% with substantial agreement (k = 0.74) between the two methods. The estimated yearly direct financial losses incurred owing to fasciolosis was around 2,227,536 2, Birr (47,945.24 USD). Thus, bovine fasciolosis is one of the economically important animal diseases in the study area, which necessitates integrated control measures to tackle its effect on animal health and subsequent economic impact.

Study on prevalence and associated risk factors of epizootic lymphangitis in equine in Nagele Arsi town, southeastern Ethiopia.

Epizootic lymphangitis is a contagious, chronic and overwhelming disease of equids, characterized by chronic discharging skin nodules. This study was aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated risk factors of epizootic lymphangitis in equines at Nagele Arsi town, southeastern Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study using a random sampling technique was employed from December 2021 to June 2022 via clinical and microscopic examinations of the lesions. The overall prevalence of epizootic lymphangitis was 4.37% with a prevalence of 6.69%, 0.72%, and 0% in horses, donkeys, and mules, respectively. The sex, species, harness type, season, and body condition scores of equids have shown statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) with the prevalence of epizootic lymphangitis. Macroscopically, the lesions revealed varying degrees of nodule to ulcer on the sternum, limbs, face, and cervical region of the equine. Upon giemsa stain, fungal hyphae with a halo (unstained capsule-like) structure were observed. Histologically, pyogranulomatous inflammation with fibroplasia was appreciated. In conclusion, epizootic lymphangitis was rampant in the study area. This requires a detailed investigation incorporating a large sample size using fungal culture and other molecular techniques including PCR.

Identification and estimation of the prevalence of ectoparasites of backyard chicken in Boloso Sore District, Wolaita zone, southern Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Poultry ectoparasites are the basic cause of retarded growth, low liveliness and poor condition of birds directly by inducing irritation, discomfort, tissue damage, blood loss, toxicosis, allergies and dermatitis which in turn reduce the quality and quantities of meat and egg production and indirectly by being mechanical or biological vectors of pathogens. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2020 to April 2021 to identify and estimate the prevalence of ectoparasites of chicken managed under a backyard system in the selected area of Boloso Sore district of Wolaita zone, southern Ethiopia. A total of 322 chickens of different age groups, breeds and both sexes were selected by simple random technique and examined for ectoparasite. RESULTS: From the total, 56.52%(182/322) of chickens were infested with one or more species of ectoparasites that mainly grouped into fleas 30.34%(98/322), lice 21.7%(70/322) and fowl tick 4.34%(14/322), there by six species of ectoparasites were identified. Among them, Echidnophaga gallinacean (stick tight flea) 30.34%(98/322) was the most prevalent ectoparasite species followed by lice species (Menopon gallinae 11.80% (38/322), Menacanthus stramineous 6.21%(20/322), Goniocotes gigas 2.48% (8/70) and Goniocotes gallinae 1.24%(4/322) while the least identified was fowl tick (Argas persicus) 4.34%(14/322). Age of the chicken was shown statistically significant (p < 0.05) association with the infestation of ectoparasites in which young chicken was found more (72.5%) infested than adults (27.5%). Also, there was a statistically significant (P < 0.05) difference in the prevalence rate of ectoparasites between both sexes of the chicken, in which females (71.4%) was higher than that of male chicken (28.6%). The local breed was found more highly infested (57.1%) than exotic breeds (42.9%) but the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). There was statistically nonsignificant (P > 0.05) flea infestation in adults 34.14% (43/126) than in young 28.06% (55/196), females 31.34% (63/201) than males 20.66% (25/121), and local breed 31.76% (54/170) than exotic breed 28.95% (44/152). Lice prevalence was statistically nonsignificant (p-value >0.05) higher in adults 38.89% (49/126) than young 10.71% (21/196), female 25.87% (52/201) than males 14.88% (18/121) and local breed 24.12% (41/170) than exotic breed 19.08% (29/152). CONCLUSION: Generally, the study indicated that the external parasites were highly prevalent in backyard chickens in the study area, which was associated with a lack of attention to the hygienic management system, treatment and control practices which necessitate the application of integrated prevention and control measures like awareness creation to the community on the overall effect of ectoparasites on the productivity of poultry and prevention methods.

Assessment of Constraints of Artificial Insemination Service in Smallholder Dairy Cattle Keepers in Kacha Bira District of Southern Ethiopia.

Artificial insemination (AI) is among the most effective reproductive biotechnologies that afford widespread propagation of genes carried by superior males. A cross-sectional study followed by a simple random sampling technique was conducted from December 2021 to May 2022 to assess the constraints of artificial insemination (AI) provision in and around Kacha Bira district, Southern Ethiopia, using a structured questionnaire. A total of 200 respondents were surveyed accordingly. In this study, the education level of farmers revealed no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) with the identification of time of insemination. Conception failure (62.5%), unavailability of artificial insemination technicians (7.5%), dystocia (3.5%), and both conception failure and unavailability of artificial insemination technicians (4.5%) were found to be the major constraints of AI service in the study area according to dairy cattle owners' response and revealed a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) with AI service. Although statistically significant (P < 0.05), differences in AI service interruptions during both regular working hours and weekends and holidays were also observed. Among total respondents, 20.5% of dairy cattle owners got AI service at right time, but 79.5% of them used it at the wrong time. Regarding inbreeding problems, 77.5% of dairy cattle owners responded that there was no inbreeding problem and the remaining 22.5% of farmers indicated presence of inbreeding problem of which 10.5% and 10% had a perception that local breeds had low milk production and low genetic improvement than exotic breeds, respectively. On the other hand, 11.5% of dairy cattle owners responded that local breeds have a similar level of disease resistance to that of exotic breeds (11%). 48.5% of dairy farmers reported that bellowing is the most frequent sign that they used to detect heat followed by vulval discharge (23%) and mounting on other cows (10%). Majority (78.5%) of the dairy cattle owners interviewed were found to be not satisfied with the artificial insemination services. In general, different AI technicians and cattle and dairy cattle keeper-related factors constrain the AI service and its result in survey site. Therefore, smallholder dairy cattle owners should be trained sufficiently about the AI service strategies, usage, and proper management of dairy farms and the technical constraints should be avoided in order to provide AI service sufficiently.

Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Parasites of Cattle in and Around Hosanna Town, Southern Ethiopia.

Introduction: Gastrointestinal parasites are ubiquitous parasitic agents of cattle all over the world, and cause both clinical and subclinical parasitism that results in significant financial losses. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the prevalence and the risk variables related to gastrointestinal tract (GIT) parasites in cattle in Hossana town and the nearby area. Methods: On a total of 400 faecal samples, a cross-sectional investigation with a random sampling technique was carried out utilizing a coprologic parasitological examination. Results: Two hundred and sixty-nine (67.2%) of the 400 faecal samples analyzed had one or more gastrointestinal parasites. Of this, 163 (40.75%) cattle had two or more parasites while a single infection was recorded in 106 (26.5%) cattle. Mixed infection of Strongyle+Fasciola (14%) was found a higher prevalence followed by Strongyle+Paramphistomum (7.75%) as compared to other GIT parasite combination. Major classes of parasites recorded include Trematodes, Nematodes, Cestodes, and Protozoa. The major parasites observed were Strongyle type (18.25%), Paramphistomum (9.5%), Fasciola (8.25%), Toxocara (3.25%) and Eimeria (2.75%). Strongyle type eggs were the most predominant type of eggs identified while Trichuris (2.25%) and Moniezia (1.5%) were observed to have relatively lowprevalence. There was a high relationship between risk factors such as age, body condition, and management system with the prevalence of GIT parasites. Conclusion: The high frequency of GIT parasite infection in cattle in the research area necessitates the strategic deworming and effective management practices necessary for gastrointestinal parasite eradication.

Study on small ruminant brucellosis and owners awareness in two selected districts of southern region, Ethiopia.

INTRODUCTION: Brucellosis is one of the infectious diseases that has the greatest impact on the productivity of sheep and goats. A cross-sectional study followed by a simple random sampling technique was used to investigate the seroprevalence of brucellosis (Rose Bengal plate test; RBPT and complement fixation test; CFT) in small ruminants and its related risk variables from November 2019 to June 2020 in Kolme and Abala Abaya districts. A questionnaire was also given to owners to assess their existing knowledge of the disease. RESULT: Using the RBPT and CFT, 28 (4.1%) and 23 (3.33%) of the 690 animals were found to be seropositive for brucellosis, respectively. In this study, the seroprevalence of brucellosis detected in the Kolme district (5.3%) was greater when compared to Abala Abaya (1.0%). The odds of Brucella infection were greater for goats (odds ratio [OR] 6.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 16 0.8-44.9) than for sheep. The odds of adult animals (OR 0.05, 95% CI 0.03-0.07) being positive for brucellosis was higher than young animals. A statistically significant difference in the seropositivity of brucellosis was detected in univariate logistic regression among districts, different age groups, herd size, parity number, and reproductive health problems except for species and sex, but in multivariate logistic regression, only reproductive health problems were revealed a statistically significant difference. Out of 138 families, 100% of respondents were unaware of brucellosis, 94.5% drink raw milk, and 74% handle animals with retained fetal membranes with their bare hands. CONCLUSION: This study showed that brucellosis was a widely spread disease in the study areas and poses a substantial public health danger. To reduce the spread of the disease in small ruminants, public health risks, and economic losses, stringent vaccination application and awareness of personal hygiene are critical.

Prevalence of Bovine Schistosomiasis and Associated Risk Factors in Tis Abay District, Northwest Ethiopia.

Background: Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease of cattle that is caused by trematode worms and results in morbidity, mortality, reduced fertility, and productivity. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors for bovine schistosomiasis in Tis Abay district, Amhara, Ethiopia. Fecal samples were collected from 384 randomly selected cattle and examined using the sedimentation technique. Results: Of the total examined fecal samples, 13.02% (50/384) of the samples were positive for Schistosoma bovis eggs. The prevalence of schistosomiasis was highly reported in Dasra (22.4%), which was statistically significant (p ≤ 0.001). The prevalence of bovine schistosomiasis was higher in females (16.9%), crossbred cattle (17.1%), poorly conditioned cattle (37.1%), extensively managed cattle (17.9%), and cattle greater than 5 years old (23.1%). The multivariate analysis of factors revealed that study area, age, breed, body condition, and management system have a significant role (p < 0.05) in the prevalence of bovine schistosomiasis. Conclusion: Schistosoma infection is a problem for cattle in the study region. Therefore, farmers should be aware of the transmission of the disease, prevention, and control of snails.

Prevalence and risk factors associated with donkey gastrointestinal parasites in Shashemane and Suburbs, Oromia Region, Ethiopia.

Background: Gastrointestinal parasites are the cause of morbidity and mortality in working donkeys and reduce their working performance. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2020 to July 2021 to assess gastrointestinal parasite infection in working donkeys in Shashemane and the surrounding district. A total of 395 donkeys were randomly sampled for the study, and an examination was conducted using faecal egg count and the Baermann technique. Results: Out of the 395 sampled donkeys, different types of gastrointestinal parasites were identified. The parasites identified during the study were Strongyle spp. (100%), Oxyuris equi (10.1%), Parascaris equorum (23.8%), Fasciola spp. (0.3%), Gastrodiscus aegyptiacus (4.6%), Strongyloides westeri (47.8%) and Anoplocephala perfoliata (0.5%). Identification of L3 larvae of GI parasites revealed that Cyathostomes spp. (96.2%), Strongylus vulgaris (92.9%), Trichostrongylus axei (90.4%), Strongylus edentatus (89.4%), and Dictyocaulus arnifieldi (49.6%) were the most prevalent. Infection with one species of helminth was more common (60.8%). Conclusions: Thus, working donkeys in the present study area were infected with Strongyle spp. (100%), Strongyloides westeri (47.8%), Parascaris equorum (23.8%), Oxyuris equi (10.1%), Gastrodiscus aegyptiacus (4.6%), Anoplocephala perfoliata (0.5%) and Fasciola spp. (0.3%) parasites. Hence, comprehensive donkey health, management, and implementation of appropriate parasite control strategies should be implemented to alleviate these problems.

Survey on Mite Infestations in Small Ruminants in Kindo Didaye District, Wolaita zone, Southern Ethiopia.

Background: Mange is a parasitic skin disease caused by microscopic mites that feed on the skin of small ruminants and affect animal productivity. Methods: A study was carried out to determine the prevalence and possible risk factors for mite infestation in small ruminants in Kindo Didaye district, Wolaita zone, southern Ethiopia. Skin scraping samples were collected from 384 small ruminants (196 goats and 188 sheep) for the identification of mite species following the standard parasitological protocol. Results: Of the 384 examined animals, 6.25% of sheep and goats were infested with different mite species, namely, Sarcoptes (3.67%), Demodex (1.54%), and mixed infestation of Sarcoptes and Demodex (1.04%). A relatively higher prevalence of mite infestation occurred in goats (7.14%) than in sheep (5.3%), and the highest prevalence of lesions of mange mites was recorded in the neck region (3.13%). The multivariate analysis of factors revealed that only BCS and herd size have a significant role in mite infestation of small ruminants. In addition, the correlation analysis of mite infestation with factors revealed that herd size (r = .106), sex (.0434), and body condition score (r = .104) had a positive correlation with mite infestation. Conclusion: Mites are among the most important health constraints of sheep and goats in the study area, requiring immediate attention and control interventions. Moreover, further epidemiological investigations that consider agroecology and other nonhost-related risk factors should be carried out for the appropriate control of mange mites.

Study on Seroprevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Newcastle Disease in Smallholder Poultry Farms in Sodo Zuria District, Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia.

Newcastle disease (NCD) is a highly contagious viral disease of poultry and remains a constant threat in poultry farms that causes huge economic losses. The objective of this study was to estimate and assess the seroprevalence and associated risk factors of Newcastle disease in the Sodo Zuria district, southern Ethiopia. A cross-sectional survey followed by a simple random sampling technique was conducted from May to July 2021 on 384 apparently healthy nonvaccinated chickens on 30 smallholder poultry farms using commercial indirect ELISA kits and a questionnaire survey. The data were analyzed by using STATA for windows version 20 and a logistic regression reporting odds ratiowas applied to describe the seroprevalence of Newcastle disease with associated risk factors. The result of the study demonstrates that there was a high seroprevalence 48.7% (n= 187/384) of Newcastle disease in the study district. Information on associated risk factors were assessed using a semistructured questionnaire. The sex of the chicken showed a statistically significant difference (x 2 = 4.842; p = 0.028) with the seroprevalence of the disease. The difference in seroprevalence among intensive, semi-intensive, and extensive management system was statistically significant (x 2 = 3.84; p = 0.0001). There was also a statistical significant difference (x 2 = 2.3854; p = 0.496) in the absence and presence of safe disposal of a dead chicken with the occurence of Newcastle disease. However, no statistically significant difference was observed among age groups (x 2 = 4.335; p = 0.114), disinfection of poultry house (x 2 = 0.0; p = 0.998), presence and absence of footbath (x 2 = 2.969; p = 0.085), the breeds (x 2 = 4.490; p = 0.106), type of chicken (x 2 = 0.302; p = 0.583), and housing system (x 2 = 1.926; p = 0.588). A high seroprevalence without vaccination history showed that the virus was circulating within the poultry. Therefore, further molecular study has to be conducted to identify circulating strains and develop an evidence-based control program.

Clinicopathological and molecular studies on cattle naturally infected with lumpy skin diseases in selected districts of Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Lumpy skin disease is a contagious viral disease of cattle caused by LSDV that results in huge economic losses in the cattle industry. This study characterizes LSDV in cattle through clinicopathological and molecular techniques in selected districts of Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia. METHODS: A crossectional study was conducted from November 2020 to June 2021 using Real-time polymerase chain reaction and Histopathological techniques to confirm LSDV. RESULT: This study revealed that the percentage of positivity of cattle for LSDV was 36.2%. Clinically, cattle infected with LSDV revealed fever (39-41 °C), nodular lesions on the skin and mucous membranes, and lymphadenopathy. Histopathologically, affected tissue revealed ballooning degenerations of the epidermis, infiltration of mononuclear inflammatory cells, vasculitis, and intracytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusion bodies. RT-PCR confirmed that DNA extracts from skin biopsies of virus isolates were positive for LSDV. CONCLUSION: The present study confirms that LSDV is widely circulating in cattle of selected districts of the Wolaita zone. Thus, effective control measures through regular vaccination and further confirmation of circulating strains of LSDV through detailed molecular analysis should be recommended.

Study on the prevalence and associated risk factors of bovine trypanosomiasis in Zaba Gazo Woreda, Southern Ethiopia.

In tsetse-infested areas of Ethiopia, African Animal Trypanosomiasis is the most serious threat to livestock productivity. A cross-sectional study was conducted from May 2021 to September 2021 in the Zaba Gazo district to assess the prevalence and associated risk factors of bovine trypanosomiasis through parasitological and hematological techniques. In the current study, the overall prevalence of trypanosomiasis was found to be 21%. Among anticipated risk factors, the origin of animals has shown a statistically significant association (p < 0.05) with the occurrence of bovine trypanosomiasis. Other potential risk factors, such as sex, age, BCS, coat color, and agroecology, were not shown to have a statistically significant relationship (p > 0.05) with trypanosomiasis. The overall mean PCV values for parasitaemic and aparasitaemic cattle were 23.24 ± 3.04SD and 27.37 ± 4.18SD, respectively, thus it was lower in parasitaemic animals than the aparasitaemic animals. A high prevalence of bovine trypanosomiasis in the study area necessitates an integrated parasite and vector control approach to curve the prevalence and effect of the disease.

Cystic echinococcosis in cattle slaughtered at a slaughterhouse in Gessa, southern Ethiopia.

Cystic echinococcosis is caused by the metacestode of the zoonotic flatworm Echinococcus granulosus. A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2020 to August 2021 at the Gessa municipality abattoir in southern Ethiopia, through regular meat examinations and cyst characterization to determine the prevalence, organ distribution, and fertility of Cystic echinococcosis. The overall prevalence of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato was 17.9% (69/384) and has shown a statistically significant association (p < 0.05) with the body condition of cattle but not with other putative risk factors (p > 0.05). The odds of poor body condition cattle infected with CE was 1.29 times higher than medium body condition (OR = 0.506; CI = 0.566-2.96). Based on organ distribution of cysts, the lungs and liver were the most affected organs having a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) with the prevalence of CE. Based on the size of cysts, small (47.9%) size cysts revealed the highest prevalence as compared with large (33.3%) and medium (18.8%) sized cysts. On cyst characterization, the majority of Cystic echinococcosis were sterile cysts (55.4%) followed by fertile (38.8%) and calcified (8.7%) cysts and revealed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). Cyst number, organ localization, fertility of cyst, and cyst size have shown a strong positive correlation (r = 0.8686, r = 0.8393, r = 0.9506, and r = 0.9189) with the prevalence of CE, respectively. The presence of an overall high prevalence of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato in the present study required urgent action to interrupt the life cycle of Cystic echinococcosis and further studies using molecular techniques to characterize the circulating genotypes to prevent the risk of zoonosis in humans in the study area.

Molecular Characterization and Antimicrobial Resistance of Pathogenic Escherichia coli Strains in Children from Wolaita Sodo, Southern Ethiopia.

Introduction: Pathogenic Escherichia coli strains cause diarrheal infection in children due to their virulence factors. A nonanalytical observational study followed by a purposive sampling technique was conducted from October 2017 to June 2018, to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and molecularly detect pathogenic Escherichia coli strains in under-five children at Wolaita Sodo town using molecular and the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Result: In the current investigation, out of 110 stool samples, Escherichia coli was isolated in 68 (61.8%) (95% CI: 52.1-70.9%). Out of 68 Escherichia coli isolates, 61.9% of Escherichia coli isolates were resistant, 9.4% were intermediately resistant, and 28.7% were susceptible. Among the antimicrobial agents, 91.2% of Escherichia coli isolates were highly sensitive to ciprofloxacin followed by norfloxacin (86.8%). Virulence genes were detected in 55.9% (38/68) (95% CI 52.1%-70.9%) of isolates. The following genes were detected: stx1 (6 (8.8%)), stx2 (4 (5.9%)), eaeA (5 (7.4%)), eaat (14 (20.5%)), and St (4 (5.9%)). Out of 68 Escherichia coli isolates, 43 (63.2%) isolates had shown multidrug resistance patterns. Furthermore, 11.8% of Escherichia coli isolates had shown resistance to eight different drugs. The multidrug resistance index value of Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli pathotypes was greater than or equal to 0.4, which indicates the high risk of resistance. Conclusion: This study demonstrated important pathogenic Escherichia coli strains and multidrug resistance in isolates containing virulence genes. Wise use of antimicrobials and improving the hygienic practices amongst parents of children reduce its occurrence. Therefore, appropriate usage of antimicrobial agents should also be highly practiced in hospitals.

Study on Gastrointestinal Nematodes of Equines in and around Bekoji, South Eastern Ethiopia.

Parasitic infections can cause a variety of respiratory, intestinal, and other problems in horses, as well as contribute to some performance issues. A cross-sectional study was undertaken in and around Bekoji, South Eastern Ethiopia, from November 2020 to June 2021 to identify species and evaluate the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in donkeys and horses, using direct fecal smear, floatation methods, and larval cultures. In this study, the overall prevalence of gastrointestinal nematode parasites was 94.5% (363 out of 384), with donkeys accounting for 95.8% and horses accounting for 90.5%. The coprological study indicated that an overall prevalence of gastrointestinal nematode parasites was 87%, 8.3%, 2.5%, 1.4%, and 0.8% for mixed parasite infection, nonmigratory strongylids, migratory strongylids, Parascaris equorum, and Oxyuris equi, respectively. Among mixed infections, nonmigratory strongylids+migratory strongylids (51.5%) occurred most frequently. The odds of male horses being infected by GIT nematodes were 1.59 times higher than male donkeys. Horses which have poor body condition were 2.94 times more infected than donkeys. The odds of old-aged donkeys were 3.11 times more infected than horses. A statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) was observed in the prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes with species and body conditions of the animals. However, no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) was seen in the prevalence of gastrointestinal nematode parasites between the sex and age of the Equidae. The mean fecal egg count of nematodes revealed that horses (1364.4 ± 483.5) had a more severe infection than donkeys with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). The current study determined there was a high prevalence of gastrointestinal nematode parasites in Equidae. Regular deworming, improved housing and nutrition management systems, increased animal owner awareness, and prevention techniques should all be undertaken to minimize the disease's economic burden in the area.