A community based seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Somali Region, Eastern Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is life-threatening infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus that caused a global pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 has been widely transmitted throughout Ethiopia, with over 501,060 cases confirmed and 7574 deaths until November 2023. This study assessed for the first time the seroprevalence SARS-CoV-2 in the general population of the Somali Region during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was conducted from May to June 2021 in 14 districts of Somali Region. Blood samples were collected in 820 participants in addition to administering a questionnaire that included sociodemographic characteristics and history of clinical symptoms of COVID-19. Blood samples were tested for the presence or absence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 using a commercial Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kit (Euroimmun). RESULTS: Overall, 477 (58.2%) were male and 343 (41.8%) were female. The majority of the participants (N = 581; 70.9%) were between 18 and 34 years old and not vaccinated against COVID-19 (N = 793; 96.7%). The overall seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was 41.7% (95% CI: 33.3%-47.6%). The highest prevalence was found in Goljano district (70%) and the lowest in Gunagado district (22.5%). Only age was found to be associated with COVID-19 seropositivity. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was the highest ever reported in Ethiopia, indicating that a large proportion of the population had been infected 14 months after the start of the outbreak in the country. Such studies are important to swiftly reassess and improve specific COVID-19 preventive and control measures to reduce transmissions within the community in a given setting.

Bacteriological quality of raw camel milk along the market value chain in Fafen zone, Ethiopian Somali regional state.

BACKGROUND: The camel is a multipurpose animal with a huge productive potential. Camel milk is a key food in arid and semi-arid areas of the African and Asian countries. The quality of milk is influenced by different bacteria present in milk. This study was conducted to evaluate total bacterial content in raw camel milk along the market chain in Fafen zone, Ethiopian Somali Regional State. METHODS: One hundred twenty-six raw camel milk samples were collected from Gursum (47.1 %) and Babile (52.9 %) districts. The three sampling levels included were udder (14.7 %), milking bucket (29.4 %) and market (55.9 %). Milk samples were analyzed for total bacterial counts (TBC) and coliform counts (CC). Furthermore, major pathogens were isolated and identified. RESULT: 108 (85.7 %) of raw camel milk samples demonstrated bacterial contamination. The overall mean TBC and CC of contaminated raw camel milk samples was 4.75 ± 0.17 and 4.03 ± 0.26 log CFU/ml, respectively. TBC increased from udder to market level and was higher in Gursum compared to Babile district (P < 0.05). Around 38.9 % of TBCs and 88.2 % CCs in contaminated raw camel milk samples were in the range considered unsafe for human utility. Staphylococcus spp. (89.8 %), Streptococcus spp. (53.7 %), E. coli (31.5 %), Salmonella spp. (17.6 %), Klebsiella spp. (5.6 %) and Enterobacter spp. (5.6 %) were the major bacterial microorganisms isolated. CONCLUSION: The majority of the bacterial isolates in this study showed high incidence in market as compared to production level. These results indicate a lack of compliance with good production practices and hygiene at milking, transportation and market of raw camel milk.

Development of a two-step SYBR Green I based real time RT-PCR assay for detecting and quantifying peste des petits ruminants virus in clinical samples.

A two-step SYBR Green I based real time RT-PCR targeting the matrix (M) gene of Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) was developed. The specificity of the assay was assessed against viral nucleic acid extracted from a range of animal viruses of clinical and structural similarities to PPRV including canine distemper virus, measles virus, bluetongue virus and Newcastle disease virus. But none of the viruses and no template control showed an amplification signal. Sensitivity of the same assay was assessed based on plasmid DNA copy number and with respect to infectivity titre. The lower detection limit achieved was 2.88 plasmid DNA copies/µl with corresponding Ct value of 35.93. Based on tissue culture infectivity titre the lower detection limits were 0.0001TCID50/ml and 1TCID50/ml for the SYBR green I based real time RT-PCR and conventional RT-PCR, respectively. The calculated coefficient of variations values for intra- and inter-assay variability were low, ranging from 0.21% to 1.83% and 0.44% to 1.97%, respectively. The performance of newly developed assay was evaluated on a total of 36 clinical samples suspected of PPR and compared with conventional RT-PCR. The SYBR Green I based real time RT-PCR assay detected PPRV in 32 (88.8%) of clinical samples compared to 19 (52.7%) by conventional RT-PCR. Thus, the two-step SYBR Green I based real time RT-PCR assay targeting the M gene of PPRV reported in this study was highly sensitive, specific and reproducible for detection and quantitation of PPRV nucleic acids.

A SYBR Green I based real time RT-PCR assay for specific detection and quantitation of Peste des petits ruminants virus.

BACKGROUND: Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is an economically important disease of small ruminants such as sheep and goats. The disease is characterized by severe pyrexia, oculo-nasal discharge, pneumonia, necrosis and ulceration of the mucous membrane and inflammation of the gastro-intestinal tract leading to severe diarrhea. A SYBR Green I based real time RT-PCR targeting the N gene of PPRV has not been established for PPRV detection. Thus, the objective of present study was to develop highly sensitive N gene target SYBR Green I real time RT-PCR for specific detection and quantification of PPRV in clinical samples. A set of primers was designed to detect the nucleocapsid (N) gene of PPRV. RESULTS: The assay exhibited high specificity as all the viruses which have clinical and structural similarities to PPRV including Canine distemper virus (CDV), Measles virus (MV), Bluetongue virus (BTV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) failed to show an amplification signal. The lower detection limit of the assay was 5.11 copies/µl (Ct value of 33.67 ± 0.5) and 0.001 TCID50/ml (Ct value of 34.7 ± 0.5) based on plasmid copy number and tissue culture infectivity titre. The assay was 3-log more sensitive than the conventional RT-PCR. The coefficient of variation (CV) values for intra- and inter-assay variability were low, ranging from 0.32%-2.31%, and 0.71%-5.32%, respectively. To evaluate the performance of the newly developed assay, a total of 36 clinical samples suspected of PPR were screened for the presence of PPRV in parallel with conventional RT-PCR. The real time RT-PCR assay detected PPRV in 30 (83.3%) of clinical samples compared to 16 (44.4%) by conventional RT-PCR. CONCLUSIONS: The two-step SYBR Green I based real time RT-PCR assay reported here is highly sensitive, specific, reproducible and rapid for detection and quantification of PPRV nucleic acids.