Identification of Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides from slaughtered cattle in two transboundary states of North­eastern Nigeria.

This study aimed to perform molecular typing of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides from slaughtered cattle in Adamawa and Taraba States, north­eastern Nigeria. A total of four hundred and eighty (480) samples of lung tissues, nasal swabs, ear swabs and pleural fluids were collected from cattle at slaughter and processed according to standard laboratory protocols. Identification and confirmation were achieved with specific PCR and PCR­RFLP. An overall M. mycoides subsp. mycoides isolation rate of 6.87% (33/480) was obtained. In Adamawa State, 12 (10.91%) isolates of M. mycoides subsp. mycoides came from both, lung tissues and pleural fluids. While in Taraba State, 5 (7.14%) and 4 (5.71%) isolates of M. mycoides subsp. mycoides came from lung tissues and pleural fluids, respectively. The samples from nasal and ear swabs from the study states were negative for M. mycoides subsp. mycoides. Thirty­three out of the 37 culture positive isolates were confirmed to be Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides with the production of a band equivalent to 574­bp. Molecular typing with restriction endonuclease Vsp1 results in the two bands of 180­bp and 380­bp. In conclusion, the study has established an isolation rate of 6.87% for M. mycoides subsp. mycoides. Measures to strengthen movement control in order to minimise the spread of this dreaded disease of cattle were recommended.

Beta-lactamase Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus isolated from chickens in Nigeria.

The occurrence of beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in chickens was investigated. Specimens (n = 1,300) were collected from 400 chickens and were streaked on MacConkey agar plates. From each plate, presumptive growths of organisms were picked and streaked on eosin methylene blue and Baird-Parker agars, respectively. Typical colonies of E. coli and S. aureus with similar morphologies were identified by biochemical tests. Isolates were tested for beta-lactamase production and antimicrobial susceptibilities. Results indicated that 805 E. coli isolates from which 89 (11%) were beta-lactamase-positive and 660 S. aureus from which 58 (8.8%) were beta-lactamase-positive. Both isolates showed a high level of resistance to all twelve antibiotics screened. The increased prevalence of antibiotic resistance amongst bacterial organisms is undoubtedly correlated with the discovery and characterisation of multiple, transferrable resistance determinants, such as beta-lactamases, corresponding to their respective phenotypes. The implications of this for humans when handling and/or consuming chickens and chicken products contaminated with strains of such isolates, is a risk of transferrable multi-drug resistance and a failure of treatment. The results of our study indicated that beta-lactamase-producing E. coli and S. aureus are prevalent in chickens in Nigeria.