Tissue culture isolation of lyssa viruses from apparently healthy unvaccinated dogs in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: There have been previous reports of inapparent infection and intermittent secretion of rabies virus in the saliva of apparently healthy dogs in some African countries, including Nigeria. OBJECTIVE: The study was therefore aimed at examining the carrier status of rabies in apparently healthy Nigerian dogs in the settlement areas studied. METHODS: Ninety-two swabs samples from oral mucosae of domestic dogs (mongrels) without vaccination history were assayed for lyssaviruses by tissue culture isolation test in Vero cells. RESULTS: Rabies or rabies-related viruses were recovered from eighteen, representing 19.6% of the samples. The study showed that lyssaviruses were present in 4 out of the 6 settlements of the study areas. Among the areas where the viruses were present, the rate of isolation ranged from 11.1% to 66.7%. Female dogs had a little higher infection rate (12.0%) than their male counterparts (7.6%). Among age groups, the highest rate of infection (66.7%) was detected in dogs aged one to 3 years while the rate of 3.7% was found in dogs aged less than one year. CONCLUSION: The results of this study agree with the carrier state of rabies in domestic dogs, the common reservoir hosts of its etiologic agents in Nigeria and the rest of Africa andAsia; this is a serious threat to humans in these settlements. Although the load of infective virus in saliva is lower than that in brain, saliva collection for rabies diagnosis is simple, safer, faster and cheaper. Thus we suggest that saliva samples could be used as an alternative to brain specimens for rabies virus antigen testing in dogs, especially, when it is not practicable to obtain brain specimen.

Therapeutic and Safety Evaluation of Combined Aqueous Extracts of Azadirachta indica and Khaya senegalensis in Chickens Experimentally Infected with Eimeria Oocysts.

Coccidiosis is a disease of economic importance in poultry causing morbidity and mortality. Reports show that Azadirachta indica and Khaya senegalensis have been used individually in the treatment of avian coccidiosis. We thus investigated the efficacy and safety of the combined aqueous extracts of these plants for the treatment of experimentally induced coccidiosis in broiler chickens using oocyst count, oxidative stress biomarkers, serum biochemistry, histology, and haematological parameters. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins, saponins, cardiac glycosides, and steroids in both extracts. In addition, alkaloids and flavonoids were present in Azadirachta indica. There was significant (p < 0.05) dose dependent decrease in oocyst count across the treatment groups with 400 mg/kg of the combined extract being the most efficacious dose. Immunomodulatory and erythropoietic activity was observed. There were decreased intestinal lesions and enhanced antioxidant activity across the treatment groups compared to the negative control. Administration of the combined extract did not cause damage to the liver as ALT, AST, and ALP levels were significantly reduced in the uninfected chickens treated with the extracts compared to control suggesting safety at the doses used. The combined aqueous extracts of K. senegalensis stem bark and Azadirachta indica leaves were ameliorative in chickens infected with coccidiosis.

Characterisation of mycoplasmas isolated from genital tract infections of sheep in Nigeria.

Four mycoplasma-like organisms isolated from ewes with mucopurulent vaginal discharge and swollen vulva were characterised. Biochemical tests showed three of the isolates to be negative for glucose fermentation and arginine hydrolysis, while the remaining isolate was negative for glucose fermentation but hydrolysed arginine. Serological identification using the growth inhibition, growth precipitation and indirect immunofluorescence tests indicated the three similar isolates as Mycoplasma bovigenitalium and the other isolate as Mycoplasma arginini. There are apparently no previous reports of the isolation of these organisms from the genital tract of sheep in Nigeria.

An outbreak of Streptococcus pyogenes infection associated with calcium oxalate urolithiasis in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus).

An outbreak of Streptococcus pyogenes infection occurred in a colony of 800 Dunkin-Hartley guinea pigs resulting in 364 (46%) deaths involving breeders, sucklings, weaners, but mainly adults used as a source of blood meals for haematophagus flies (Glossina palpalis). Clinical signs included bleeding from the nose, mouth and vagina before death. Necropsy revealed pneumonia with consolidation of one or both lungs, haemopericardium and haemothorax. There were yellowish-grey deposits in the urinary bladder of more than 50% of both affected breeders and adults used for feeding haematophagus flies. Beta-haemolytic Streptococcus pyogenes was isolated in pure culture from many tissues including the urinary bladder. The survivors were treated with oxytetracycline (Terramycin-LA; Pfizer) using the intra-muscular route and the response was good.

Uterine involvement in guineapig salmonellosis.

Of 334 mature breeding guineapigs, 53 (15.9%) died in a disease outbreak involving Salmonella typhimurium serotypes 1, 4, 5 and 12 : i : 1,2. The uterus was consistently involved. Nine other Salmonella-free mature female guineapigs when inoculated with a pure isolate from the outbreak, using the subcutaneous, intramuscular or per os route, succumbed to salmonellosis, reproducing signs and lesions observed during the outbreak. Abortion was not recorded during the outbreak despite many pregnant sows being affected. The isolate was sensitive to gentamicin, tetracycline, ampicillin and cefuroxime but resistant to co-trimoxazole, erythromycin and penicillin.

Note on an epidemic of coccidiosis in domestic rabbits in the Plateau and Bauchi states, Nigeria.

During an epidemic of intestinal coccidiosis, 1128 young domestic rabbits died out of 2385 animals examined. Nine species of Coccidia were identified with a minimum of five different species per rabbit. Clinical and necropsy findings as well as treatment and control measures are described, epidemiology and pathogeny are discussed.

Double intussusception fatally complicated by clostridial infection in a dog (a case report).

A 10-month-old Alsation dog with history of anorexia, diarrhoea, dehydration and vomition developed a double intussusception which affected the distal jejunum and proximal ileum. Necropsy revealed the intussusception to be swollen and congested with fibrinous adhesions between the intussusceptum and intussuscepiens. Two pieces of bone believed to be the inciting cause were found within the intussusceptum. Clostridium welchii and Clostridium bifermentans were isolated from the lesions.

Clostridium perfringens type A enterotoxaemia in pigs: a report of five cases.

Enterotoxaemia caused by Clostridium perfringens type A in five intensively managed pigs is reported. The condition was precipitated by constipative digestive disturbance. Diarrhoea was not observed in the five animals before death.