Prevalence and risk factors associated with canine dermatophytoses among dogs in Kwara and Osun States, Nigeria

Background: Dermatophytosis (ringworm) is a zoonotic fungal skin infection caused predominantly by Microsporum canis, Microsporum gypseum and Trichophyton spp. It is highly transmissible and, while normally self-limiting, could be problematic due to its potential to cause disease in certain human populations. The occurrence and associated risk factors of dermatophytoses in dogs presented at three veterinary clinics in Osogbo, and Ilorin, Nigeria between July and November 2019 were investigated in this study. Methodology: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study of 325 dogs with lesions suggestive of dermatophytosis, selected by simple random sampling from veterinary clinics of two hospitals, purposively selected for the study due to high patronage of the veterinary hospitals by dog owners. Using conventional mycological sampling techniques, plucked hairs and skin scrapings were obtained the dogs. The samples were emulsified in 10% potassium hydroxide, examined microscopically for fungal elements and cultured using standard mycological procedures. Information on dog demographic characteristics and risk factors for dermatophytosis were collected using structured questionnaire. The association between risk factors and demographic variables with the occurrence of dermatophytoses was determined using Chi-square test (with Odds ratio and 95% confidence interval) and p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Positive cultures for dermatophytes were obtained from samples of 48 (14.8%) dogs with M. canis 37.5% (18/48), M. gypseum 27.0% (13/48) and T. mentagrophytes 8.3% (4/48). Other fungi identified were Aspergillus flavus 12.5% (6/48) and Malassezia canis 12.5% (6/48). The age distribution of positive dogs were < 1 year (50.0%, n=24), 1-3 years (29.2%, n=14) and > 3 years (20.8%, n=10), while the risk factors associated with dermatophytosis included sex of dogs (p=0.0428), history of dermatophytosis (p<0.0001), clinical presentation (p<0.0001) and lesion type, especially kerion and pustular lesions (p=0.0297). Conclusion: These findings established the occurrence of dermatophytosis in dogs kept for companionship (i.e., pets), security and breeding purposes in one northern and southern States of Nigeria. Our findings underscore the need for routine mycological investigations in dogs to facilitate early detection of cases and prompt institution of treatment interventions, thereby preventing zoonotic transmission of dermatophytes to their owners, handlers and veterinarians.

Prevalence of Tinea Capitis among Children in Osogbo, Nigeria, and the Associated Risk Factors.

Tinea capitis is a fungi infection of the scalp that disproportionately affects children in rural and underserved communities in Nigeria. A case-control study was conducted to identify the causative agents and factors that predispose school pupils to tinea capitis in two selected government-owned public primary schools in Osogbo, Southwestern Nigeria. A total of 230 participants were included in the study: 115 cases and 115 controls. Head scrapings were collected from pupils with suspected T. capitis lesions, viewed under Potassium Hydroxide smear microscopy and cultured in Sabouraud's Dextrose Agar (SDA) for characteristic fungal elements. A total of 105 (91%) samples were successfully cultured, of which 56% (59/105) were from male pupils. Tricophyton rubrum (34%), Tricophyton mentagrophyte (31%) and Microsporum canis (18%) were the most prevalent organisms. Other dermatophytes obtained include Microsporum nanuum (3%), Epidermophyton floccusum (6%), Tricophyton verucosum (1%), and Microsporum gypseum (8%). Pupils between the ages of 4 and 7 years had the highest distribution (67%) followed by those between the ages of 8 and 11 years (39%). Playing with animals, the sharing of combs and not bathing with soap were significantly associated with tinea capitis infection (P < 0.05) in each case. This study showed a high prevalence of tinea capitis caused by the identified dermatophytes in the area.

Arcobacter, an emerging opportunistic food borne pathogen--A review.

BACKGROUND: Arcobacters, emerging aetiologic agents of food-borne diarrhoeal illness in humans and animals are more frequently isolated in meat, especially poultry meat, pork and beef. Though human infection may exist, it has not been documented in Nigeria. AIM: This review presents an update of scientific information in Nigeria on arcobacters as an emerging food-borne pathogen of public health significance in Nigeria. METHODS: A comprehensive reviews of literatures was adopted to give an update on scientific findings on the disease in Nigeria. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The review revealed scientific evidences attributing the cause of human and animal illness to Arcobacter spp. It also highlights efforts towards the development of animal models where in virulence and pathogenicity of primarily A. butzleri and A. cryaerophilus isolated from human diarrhoeal stool samples were tested. This in turn elucidated the public health significance of this emerging food-borne pathogen. The review canvases for more investigation as to the role of arcobacters in food contamination and unrecognised food-borne disease in Nigeria.

Serum biochemistry and heamatological changes associated with graded doses of experimental Arcobacter infection in rats.

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND; Arcobacters have unusually wide range of habitats, and some species can be human and animal pathogens OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to assess the haematological and biochemical changes associated with experimental Arcobacter infection in adult albino rat. METHODS: The pathogenicity of Arcobacterbutzleri and A.cryerophilus, isolated from the caecal content of healthy chicken and confirmed by multiplex PCR was tested in albino rats (Rattusnovegicus). Seventy-five healthy adult male rats, subdivided into 5 rats per group, challenged orally with a single dose of 10⁻³ - 10⁻9 cfu/ml of bacterial strains and another group of five uninfected rats served as control. RESULTS: Experimental infection resulted in diarrhoea,electrolyte imbalance and alteration of heamatological values. The packed cell volume (PCV), platelets, neutrophils and lymphocytes of the experimentally infected albino rats were significantly higher than those of the control group. CONCLUSION: This study showed that Arcobacter could be a potential pathogen in albino rats while the selected haematological and electrolyte parameters may be good diagnostic indicators of the animal response to the bacterial infections.

Detection of Arcobacter in feces of healthy chickens in Osogbo, Nigeria.

Isolation of arcobacters in foods, with the highest prevalence reported in poultry, has underscored its importance as a potential food safety problem in recent years. To estimate its prevalence in live birds, fresh stool samples from healthy chickens were screened by enrichment and plating on Arcobacter selective medium containing cefoperazone, amphotericin B, and teicoplanin. Of 150 fecal samples, only 2 (1.3%) yielded Arcobacter. Species were identified with fluorescence resonance energy transfer PCR. Isolate no. 21 from a local flock shared 99% identity with the complete genome of A. butzleri RM4018 (CP000361.1). Isolate no. 4 from a layer hen shared 100% identity with a partial 16S rRNA gene sequence of A. cryaerophilus (EF064151.1). The low prevalence of Arcobacter in the fecal samples of healthy chickens concurs with earlier studies suggesting that Arcobacter appears to be a transient colonizer of poultry intestines and therefore might not be the major source of chicken carcass contamination.

Comparison of four methods of hand washing in situations of inadequate water supply.

BACKGROUND: Hand washing is the single most important means of preventing hospital acquired infections, but requires for effectiveness, a constant supply of running water and proper facilities. Most developing countries do not have constant running water facilities, so alternate methods have been developed and used in clinics and hospitals. OBJECTIVE: To compare and validate alternate methods of hand washing developed for use in Nigeria. METHODS: The hands of 12 volunteers were pre-contaminated with known isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The volunteers washed their hands as described by Ayliffe. The hands and equipment were cultured pre- and post-contamination and post-hand washing. The water used for the hand wash was also cultured pre-hand washing to control for water-based contamination. Each method was evaluated three times and various parts of the equipment were cultured to determine the areas contaminated by the hands during the hand wash. RESULTS: "Elbow-way" was shown to be the best and the gold standard Sink and Tap for promoting an effective hand washing, as there was no evidence of post-contamination. The worst was the single-bowl method in which the hands of all the 12 (100%) volunteers were contaminated from the bowl, followed by the two-bowl initiative 10 (83%) and the bucket and bowl 9 (75%). CONCLUSION: The bucket and bowl as well as the single-bowl methods most commonly used in hospitals result in gross contamination of the bowls and bucket and are therefore unsafe and should be discouraged. The elbow way on the other hand appears to be an easy and safe alternative in situations where there is no running water.

Absence of HIV-1 and HIV-2 seroconversions in a cohort medical students in a Nigerian medical school.

A cohort of 70, HIV-1 and HIV-2 seronegative medical students were followed up for 30 months, after which 65 were retested for HIV antibody. None of the students was infected by HIV during the period of study. A questionnaire survey carried out showed that all the students had a very good knowledge of HIV, its mode of transmission, control and prevention. Most of the students have never had sex or had a single sex partner and used condoms always or most of the time during sexual intercourse.

Rabies and antirabies immunization in South Western Nigeria: knowledge, attitude and practice.

Factors responsible for the continued endemicity of rabies in Nigeria were determined by carrying out a knowledge, attitude and practice study among residents of Osun State. Structured questionnaires were administered to 679 individuals comprising students, traders and civil servants. Only 33.4% of the respondents knew rabies could be prevented by vaccination, while 38.7% believed that the infection could be treated with herbs. Of the 387 victims of dog bite, 240 (62%) never sought prophylactic postexposure treatment. Of the 10 people who received postexposure treatment, only one received the appropriate treatment consisting of washing, disinfection of wounds, tetanus toxoid and complete antirabies immunization.

Epidemiolgy of bacterial zoonoses in Nigeria

This paper dicusses the epidemiology and epizootiology of bacterial zoonotic diseases in Nigeria. Six diseases are discussed including anthrax; brucellosis; bovine tuberculosis; campylobacteriosis leptospirosis; salmonellosis and tetanus. All axcept anthrax are enzootic and endemic in the country; and have been associated with high morbidity in human and the animal populations. The exact impact of the diseases on the general population in unknown because they are grossly underreported and underrecognized