Seroprevalence of infectious bursal disease virus in local chickens in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, South East Nigeria.

Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV) poses a great global threat to the poultry industry. Knowledge of the occurrence of the disease is important in the design and implementation of a control program, therefore this study determines the seroprevalence of IBDV in local chickens in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State. 250 chickens were bled by exsanguination and sera obtained were screened using Agar Gel Immunodiffusion (AGID) test. The seropositivity was 51.6%, which is indicates endemicity of the disease. Biosecurity and good sanitary measures are recommended. Molecular characterization of the strains should be carried out for inclusion in generic vaccines.

Prevalence of Newcastle Disease Antibodies in Local Chicken in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria.

Newcastle disease is a contagious disease of birds and is the greatest constraint to the development of rural poultry production in Nigeria and most developing countries. The only effective means of control is vaccination which is not properly carried out in Nigeria. Therefore, this project determined the prevalence rate of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) in local chicken in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria. About 5 mL of blood was collected from each of 200 chickens at the point of sale by exsanguination and sera obtained were analyzed using Haemagglutination Inhibition (HI) test to determine the prevalence of NDV. Of the 200 samples screened 34 were positive for HI antibody to NDV giving a prevalence rate of 17%. The prevalence rate obtained in this study is significant (P < 0.05) and indicates endemicity of the disease. There was no statistically significant (P > 0.05) difference in the seroprevalence of NDV antibodies among the four markets studied. Further studies are required to determine the strains circulating for appropriate preventive and control measures.

Serologic and virologic surveillance of avian influenza in Nigeria, 2006-7.

Since January 2006, H5N1 avian influenza has affected Nigeria's poultry population causing enormous loss of resources. The current circulating virus is a potential candidate for pandemic influenza which may severely affect the human and animal population worldwide especially in the resource-poor countries. In this study, we report on our field and laboratory surveillance efforts in Nigeria. A total of 1,821 tissue samples, 8,638 tracheal swabs, 7,976 cloacal swabs and 7,328 avian sera were analysed over a period of two years, with 312 positive results [corrected] We recovered 299 isolates of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 mainly from the diagnostic samples of poultry kept in backyard, small scale and free range farms. This finding emphasised the role played by these farming systems in the dissemination of avian influenza in Nigeria and highlights the need for a continued surveillance in humans since human-animal interaction is a key feature in Africa. Furthermore, there is a need for the strengthening of border controls. Since October 2007, there has been no reported and confirmed outbreak of avian influenza in Nigeria.

Control versus no control: options for avian influenza H5N1 in Nigeria.

In January 2006, an outbreak of a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was recorded in Nigeria for the first time. This present work describes an estimation of possible costs associated with a vaccination-based control policy added to other measures to restrict HPAI H5N1 virus infections. The evaluations used epidemiological and production data, including budgets necessary for the vaccine acquisition, distribution and administration in arriving at the final costs. Using decision tree and cost benefit analysis the economical benefits for Nigeria and countries with similar veterinary infrastructures, biosecurity and farming systems are calculated. The result indicated that a halting in the continued spread of the virus through effective control measure will be 52 times better than taking no action. This should help policy makers in deciding in favour of vaccination combined with other tools as an effective means of controlling avian influenza H5N1. * Control of HPAI H5N1 will best be understood by policy makers in financial terms. * Effective control through vaccination of poultry is much cheaper and reduces the chances of human zoonoses. * Poultry vaccination combined with other control measures will be the most effective means of control in most developing economies.