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Dog owning is a common practice in Ethiopia, including Ambo town. Information on dog population and husbandry practices is essential to access poor husbandry practices that could increase the risk of dogborne diseases in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the husbandry practices of dog owners, dog population characteristics and associated public health consequences in Ambo town. Two hundred dog-owning households were randomly selected and interviewed face-to-face. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to obtain information on household and dog demographic characteristics and husbandry practices. The collected data was analysed using STATA version 14 and logistic regression was used to assess the risk factors. Out of the 200 households, 83% keep local breeds of dogs, and of the 277 owned dogs, 74% were male. The primary purpose of keeping dogs is for security reasons (83.5%), and about 73% of the households keep only one dog, and the maximum number is five per household with an average number of 1.4. In 62% of the interviewed households, dogs have free access to the outdoor environment. Dogs don't have separate houses in 54.5% of the households, and most of those who have doghouse clean it less frequently or not at all. The most common means of dog feces disposal was into an open hole (47.5%) and thrown into the environment (23.0%). About 66% of households had never dewormed their dogs, and around 69% had never vaccinated their dogs. The overall result of the dog husbandry practice evaluation showed that about 63% of the dog-owning households had poor dog handling practices. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that the elementary educational level of the householders, female sex, and local breed of owned dogs are associated with poor dog husbandry practice. The current dog husbandry practices in Ambo town had a public health risk related to dog-borne zoonosis. Therefore, awareness regarding responsible dog ownership and

Endrias Zewdu Gebremedhin,1 Gadisa Hirpa,2 Bizunesh Mideksa Borana,1 Edilu Jorga Sarba,1 Lencho Megersa Marami,3 Kebede Abdisa Kelbesa,1 Nega Desalegn Tadese,3 Hirut Abebe Ambecha3 1Department of Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Science, Ambo University, Ambo, Ethiopia; 2Department of Biology, Ambo Preparatory School, Ambo, Ethiopia; 3Department of Veterinary Laboratory Technology, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Science, Ambo University, Ambo, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Endrias Zewdu GebremedhinAmbo University, P.O. Box 19, Ambo, EthiopiaTel +251 911894802Fax +251 112609503Email endrias.zewdu@gmail.comPurpose: Listeriosis is one of the globally distributed foodborne diseases with the highest fatality rate. The objectives of this study were to isolate and identify Listeria species, assess factors for contamination of beef, and antibiogram of Listeria monocytogenes in Ambo and Holeta towns, Central Ethiopia.Materials and Methods: A total of 450 meat samples were collected from abattoirs (n=150), butchers (n=150), and restaurants (n=150) for isolation and identification of Listeria species. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between the occurrence of Listeria species in meat and potential risk factors. The antimicrobial susceptibility test was done using the Kirby Bauer test.Results: The overall occurrence of Listeria species in Ambo and Holeta towns was 28.4% (128/450; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 24.3– 32.9%). The isolation rate of Listeria monocytogenes was 4.4%, Listeria ivanovii 2.2%, Listeria seeligeri 1.8%, Listeria welshimeri 3.8%, Listeria innocua 6.2%, and Listeria grayi 10.2%. The probability of contamination of meat in butchers and restaurants was higher in Holeta than Ambo [OR=3.4; 95%; p=0.001], in dry than wet season [OR=5.2; p=0.009], and where the hygiene of cutting boards was poor (OR=7.7; p=0.008). Of the 20 Listeria monocytogenes isolates, 80%, 70%, 60%, and 55% were resistant to

Lencho Megersa Marami,1 Getachew Mulatu Dilba,1 Dagmawit Atalel Babele,1 Edilu Jorga Sarba,2 Askale Gizaw,1 Wakuma Mitiku Bune,1 Morka Dandecha Bayu,1 Petros Admasu,2 Abraham Mekbeb,2 Miressa Tadesse,3 Kebede Abdisa,2 Dejene Bayisa4 1Ambo University, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Science, Department of Veterinary Laboratory Technology, Ambo, Oromia, Ethiopia; 2Ambo University, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Science, Department of Veterinary Science, Ambo, Oromia, Ethiopia; 3Ambo University, College of Computational and Natural Science, Department of Chemistry, Ambo, Oromia, Ethiopia; 4Jeldu Woreda, Livestock and Fishery Development Office, Gojo, Oromia, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Getachew Mulatu DilbaAmbo University, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Science, Department of Veterinary Laboratory Technology, P.O. Box 19, Ambo, Oromia, EthiopiaTel +251-912717217Email getachew.mulatu@ambou.edu.etBackground: Although traditional healers in Ethiopia have a long history of using medicinal plants to treat diseases in animals and humans, studies on the antibacterial activities and potential bioactive ingredients of most medicinal plants have been insufficient. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the in-vitro antibacterial activities and to screen phytochemical constituents of selected medicinal plants against reference bacterial strains.Methods: The fresh and healthy roots of Echinops amplexicaulis, fruits of Ruta chalepensis, and leaves of Salix subserrata were collected from West Shewa Zone, Ethiopia. Agar well diffusion and agar dilution methods were used to evaluate antibacterial activities and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC). All the crude plant extracts were tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at concentrations of 100, 50, and 25 mg/mL in each triplet (3x). MIC of crude extracts ranging from 1.5625 to 12.50 mg/mL was applied to all bacterial strains. The positive control

Lencho Megersa Marami,1 Endrias Zewdu Gebremedhin,2 Edilu Jorga Sarba,2 Getachew Kebebew Tola,2 Solomon Shiferaw Endalew,1 Asamenew Tesfaye Melkamsew,3 Vincenzo Di Marco Lo Presti,4 Maria Vitale4 1Ambo University, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, Department of Veterinary Laboratory Technology, Ambo, Oromia, Ethiopia; 2Ambo University, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ambo, Oromia, Ethiopia; 3National Animal Health Diagnostic and Investigation Center, Department of Immunology, Sebeta, Oromia, Ethiopia; 4Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Sicily, Laboratory of Genetics of Microorganisms, Palermo, ItalyCorrespondence: Endrias Zewdu GebremedhinAmbo University, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, Department of Veterinary Sciences, P.O. BOX 19, Ambo, Oromia, EthiopiaTel +251911894802Email endrias.zewdu@ambou.edu.etPurpose: Canine leptospirosis and brucellosis are significant zoonotic gram-negative bacterial diseases that affect humans and animal species. This study was aimed to estimate the seroprevalence and assess associated risk factors of canine Leptospira and Brucella species infections in Ambo, Bako, and Gojo Towns, West Shewa Zone, Ethiopia.Methods: A total of 385 serum samples were collected from randomly selected dogs. Antibodies against Brucella and Leptospira species infection were tested using the Enzyme-Linked immunosorbent Assay technique (ELISA). A structured questionnaire survey was administered to each dog-owning household to gather information on potential risk factors. The association between independent and outcome variables was analyzed using the Chi-square test followed by univariable, and multivariable logistic regression analyses.Results: The overall seroprevalence of Brucella and Leptospira species infections were found to be 15.06% (95% confidence interval (ci): 11.64– 19.04%) and 4.16% (95% ci: 2.39– 6.67%), respectively. Multivariable logistic