Oo Babalobi

Analysis and evaluation of mortality losses of the 2001 African swine fever outbreak, Ibadan, Nigeria

The mortality losses of pigs of various age groups affected by the 2001 African swine fever outbreak in Ibadan Nigeria were analyzed and evaluated. Thirty one thousand nine hundred and sixteen (31,916) pigs on three hundred and six (306) farms reported by the Pig Farmers Association of Nigeria and the State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources were involved. Gross mortality was ninety one percent (91%), while age group mortality ranged from 75.9% (growers), 83.1% (weaners), 91.2% (finishers) and 99.8% (piglets); to 100.0% in gilts, sow and boars. Losses were estimated to worth nine hundred and forty one thousand, four hundred and ninety one dollars, sixty seven cents (US

Participatory Epidemiology of Ethnoveterinary Practices Fulani Pastoralists Used to Manage Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia and Other Cattle Ailments in Niger State, Nigeria.

941,491.67). Highest financial loss was from sows (29.5% of total loss), followed by gilts (16.6%), finishers (15.2%), weaners (10.7%), boars (10.6%), growers (10.6%) and piglets (8.2%). Average mortality loss per farm of

Using sero-positivity to assess geospatial burden of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia on pastoral cattle herds of north-central Nigeria

3076.77 was of great financial and socioeconomic consequences for a developing country like Nigeria with a low Gross Domestic Product figures. In conclusion, the need to immediately revisit and take recommended actions on the 1998 Report of the FAO Consultancy Mission to Nigeria on Control and Eradication of an Outbreak of African swine fever in Western Nigeria is stressed.

One Health capacity building in sub-Saharan Africa

Ethnoveterinary practices are locally available and affordable to Fulani pastoralists in Niger State, Nigeria, to whom conventional veterinary services are often not readily available and are relatively expensive. This study was designed to identify and document medicinal plant and nonplant materials used by this group in the management of cattle diseases. Participatory rural appraisal tools of checklist, semistructured interview, probing, transect, and triangulations were used to assess Fulani pastoralists existing knowledge on traditional veterinary practices in nine pastoral communities spread across the state. Fifty medicinal materials and seven traditional preventive practices are in use against CBPP and other cattle disease conditions. Of these, 38 (76.0%) are medicinal plants and 12 (24.0%) are nonplant materials (edible earth materials and minerals). Family Fabaceae was most commonly mentioned while leaves were the most common parts used. Most of these materials are administered by drenching with few others mixed with feed. Proportions of plant parts used include leaves (47.4%), barks (31.6%), roots (10.6%), and 2.6% of each of rhizomes, fruits, seeds, and whole plants. Of recently used ingredients are kerosene and spent engine oil. Further research into the active ingredients of ethnoveterinary materials and dosages is necessary to guide their usage.

Prevalence and correlates of influenza-A in piggery workers and pigs in two communities in Lagos, Nigeria.

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is an infectious disease of cattle endemic in sub-Saharan Africa. A cross-sectional sero-geospatial survey was conducted to assess the CBPP sero-geospatial burdens among estimate at-risk sero-positive cattle in nomadic and sedentary pastoral cattle production systems of north-central Nigeria, between January and August 2013. A total of 765 cattle in 125 nomadic herds and 375 cattle in 125 sedentary herds were sampled. Sera were analysed using c-ELISA. OpenEpi version 2.3 was used for statistical analyses. Geo-coordinates of herds were taken using Garmin GPS, while ArcGIS 9.3 was used to map geospatial data of sero-positive cattle and herds in the agro-geographical zones. In nomadic production, 16.2 % (95 % CI 13.7 to 19.0.) cattle were sero-positive in 47.2 % (95 % CI 38.2 to 56.3) herds. And the sedentary system had 9.6 % (95 % CI 6.9 to 12.0) sero-positive cattle in 27.2 % (95 % CI 19.6 to 35.9) herds. Agro-geographical zone A was more likely (OR 3.42; 95 % CI 1.90, 6.15) to have significant impacts on cattle-level sero-geospatial burden than Agro-geographical zone B. Also, Agro-geographical zone C was more likely (OR 5.14; 95 % CI 2.91, 9.08) to have significant impacts on cattle-level sero-geospatial burden than Agro-geographical zone B. The developed GIS CBPP risk maps showed various densities of its burdens in the agro-zones. The visualized proportional circle maps presented GIS usefulness in the active surveillance of CBPP, and if used in conjunction with sero-diagnosis, the maps would aid policymakers with practical imageries for livestock disease control decisions in pastoral cattle herds.

Geographical information system (GIS) mapping of spatio-temporal pollution status of rivers in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Background Africa of late has been faced with challenges that require a multidisciplinary and multisectoral approach to address them, and academic and non-academic institutions have played a key role in training and conducting research that would promote the One Health approach. Objectives The objective of this review was to document networks and organizations conducting One Health training, research, and outreach in Africa, as one of a series of articles around the world. Methods Data for this review were collected from organizations through key contacts of the authors and their knowledge of networks they have worked with. Web searches were conducted using One Health, training, and research as key words for work done in Africa. Results Africa has major networks involved in One Health training, research, and outreach, with participation of both academic and non-academic institutions. This review highlights an effort in Africa to form networks to conduct multidisciplinary training and research. The main networks include Afrique One, Southern African Centre for Infectious Disease Surveillance (SACIDS), and One Health Central and Eastern Africa (OHCEA). Conclusions Both academic and non-academic institutions and organizations have shown an interest to conduct multidisciplinary training and research in Africa for managing challenges that Africa is facing currently, especially the outbreak of infectious diseases.

Sero-positivity and associated risk factors for contagious bovine pleuropneumonia under two cattle production systems in North Central Nigeria

Introduction Worldwide, three Influenza-A virus subtypes (H1N1, H1N2 and H3N2) in swine are major public health issues. In Nigeria, the existence of these subtypes in pigs has not been well studied. This study aimed at determining the prevalence and correlates of Influenza-A viruses circulating in piggery workers and pigs in Oke-aro and Goshen communities in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods Nasal swabs were taken from 197 consenting piggery workers and 281 randomly selected pigs to determine the prevalence of Influenza-A (H1, H3, H5) using Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction test (gene M). An interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect information on demography, Influenza-A related symptoms experienced, personal hygiene and management practices from the piggery workers. Descriptive statistics was used and chi square test performed at 5% significant level. Results All piggery workers and pigs’ nasal swabs tested negative for Influenza-A viruses, hence, association could not be tested. Mean age of piggery workers was 41 ± 13.6 years and 60% were females. Forty two percent were farm attendants, 38.0% were pig farmers and the rest butchers. Nineteen percent had history of headache; 14.0% had catarrh and cough; 4.0% had sore-throat; 5.0% had diarrhea; while 48.0% had muscle pain at the time of data collection. The mean body temperature for the pig workers was 36.5 ± 0.5 °C. A significant difference (p<0.05) existed among piggery workers who had muscle pains. Conclusion Piggery workers and pigs in study area were free of Influenza-A (H1, H3, H5) viruses. The current practices of the piggery workers should be encouraged.