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Acute infectious bursal disease (IBD) outbreak caused by virulent IBD virus undermines profitable chicken production in Nigeria. Veterinary clinic-based passive surveillance is carried out by postmortem diagnosis of clinical cases submitted during disease outbreaks. Records of IBD outbreaks from two veterinary hospitals in Maiduguri, Nigeria, were extracted among all disease outbreaks in chicken flocks in the period 2008-2018. Data showed that IBD outbreaks occurred in 493 (7.6%, [95% CI: 7.0-8.3%]) out of 6,486 disease outbreaks in chicken flocks within the period. The year-specific prevalence of outbreaks varied from 1.6% (95% CI: 0.9-2.3%) to 17.3% (95% CI: 12.9-21.7%) and fitted a linear trend (r = -0.73; P

Mineral mining activities with environmental pollution in Nigeria resulted in lead intoxication in humans and livestock. The likelihood of lead contamination of the environment from non-mining sources may exist in Maiduguri, Borno state, Nigeria. The study was carried out to evaluate the bioaccumulation of lead in extensively reared local scavenger chickens-LSC (Gallus gallus domesticus) in Maiduguri. Two hundred samples each of the liver, kidney, intestine, muscle and blood were tested for lead using standard methods in toxicologic evaluation. There were significant (p0.05) sex differences existed in the frequency of lead detection. Mean lead level in the liver of males was significantly (p

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious fatal infectious disease of pigs and wild suids. The disease has a worldwide occurrence and significant impact on pig production. Two adult intensively raised large white boars from two farms in Jos with a history of sudden death were diagnosed of ASF between July and August 2019. Post‐mortem examination of carcasses grossly showed splenomegaly, haemorrhagic lymphadenitis and hepatomegaly with severe congestion. The kidneys were enlarged and had generalized petechiae and blood clot in the pelvis. The heart was moderately enlarged. Microscopic examination of the spleen and lymph nodes revealed severe lymphocytic depletion, haemorrhage and severe haemosiderosis. The liver was severely congested with focal coagulative necrosis of the hepatocytes. The kidneys were severely congested and showed renal tubular necrosis with few tubular protein casts. Tissue samples were confirmed to be positive for African swine fever virus (ASFV) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the isolate belonged to genotype I., African swine fever is a highly contagious fatal infectious disease of pigs with a worldwide occurrence and economic importance. Two adult large white boars from two farms in Jos were diagnosed with African swine fever in 2019 through gross and histopathological evaluations, viral isolation and polymerase chain reaction. Sequences obtained were compared and deposited in the GenBank and were accessioned MN888693 and MN888694 and the phylogram showed that the ASFV belongs to genotype I.

Aluminium (Al) is frequently accessible to animal and human populations to the extent that intoxications may occur. Intake of Al is by inhalation of aerosols or particles, ingestion of food, water and medicaments, skin contact, vaccination, dialysis and infusions. Toxic actions of Al induce oxidative stress, immunologic alterations, genotoxicity, pro-inflammatory effect, peptide denaturation or transformation, enzymatic dysfunction, metabolic derangement, amyloidogenesis, membrane perturbation, iron dyshomeostasis, apoptosis, necrosis and dysplasia. The pathological conditions associated with Al toxicosis are desquamative interstitial pneumonia, pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, granulomas, granulomatosis and fibrosis, toxic myocarditis, thrombosis and ischemic stroke, granulomatous enteritis, Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel diseases, anemia, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, sclerosis, autism, macrophagic myofasciitis, osteomalacia, oligospermia and infertility, hepatorenal disease, breast cancer and cyst, pancreatitis, pancreatic necrosis and diabetes mellitus. The review provides a broad overview of Al toxicosis as a background for sustained investigations of the toxicology of Al compounds of public health importance.

Objectives To assess the effects of zinc pretreatment on hepatorenal toxicity following chronic exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides in male rats. Methods Following zinc pretreatment (50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg), 14.4 to 750 mg/kg of oral glyphosate (Bushfire® herbicide) was administered daily for 36 weeks. Thereafter, serum samples were obtained following jugular venipuncture. Liver and kidney samples were processed for histopathological examination. Results Serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase activity as well as levels of bicarbonate, calcium, creatinine were significantly increased following chronic exposure to Bushfire®. Serum levels of sodium, potassium, chloride, total protein, albumin, globulin and urea were unchanged. Moderate to severe coagulative necrosis of hepatocytes as well as glomerular and renal tubular necrosis were observed in herbicide-treated rats. Zinc pretreatment reduced the elevation of serum enzymes associated with hepatobiliary lesions, abrogated hypercalcemia and metabolic alkalosis, and mitigated serum accumulation of creatinine following Bushfire® exposure, but was ineffective in completely preventing histological lesions. Conclusion Chronic Bushfire® exposure in rats caused hepatorenal toxicity. The effects of exposure on serum parameters were ameliorated by zinc pretreatment, but the histopathological changes associated with toxicity persisted in milder forms in zinc-pretreated animals.

African swine fever is a highly contagious fatal infectious disease of pigs with a worldwide occurrence and economic importance. Two adult large white boars from two farms in Jos North, Plateau State-Nigeria kept under intensive management system were diagnosed of African swine fever between the last week of July and the first week of August 2019 at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital University of Jos. In both cases the farmers complained of sudden deaths of pigs. At post mortem examination carcasses grossly showed splenomegaly, hemorrhagic lymphadenitis, and hepatomegaly with severe congestion. The kidneys were enlarged and had generalized petechiae and blood clot in the pelvis.The heart was moderately enlarged.On microscopy, the spleen and lymph nodes, showed severe lymphocytic depletion, haemorrhage and severe haemosiderosis. The liver was severely congested with focal coagulative necrosis of the hepatocytes. The kidneys were severely congested and showed renal tubular necrosis with few tubular protein casts. Tissue samples were confirmed to be positive for ASFV by polymerase chain reaction and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the isolate belonged to genotype-I. Sequences obtained were compared and deposited in the GenBank and were accessioned MN888693 and MN888694. Keywords: African swine fever; laboratory; diagnosis; smallholder farms; pig; Nigeria

The increased interest in pig production as a complementary source of animal protein has led to pig population growth in Nigeria. Disease outbreaks represent the major constraint to profitable pig production in locations where there is absence of religious barriers to pork production and consumption. Important pig diseases reported in the country and the location of the pig population affected are highlighted in this review. African swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease, brucellosis, trypanosomosis, babesiosis, eperythrozoonosis, helminthosis, coccidiosis and other parasitoses impact on the production system by negatively affecting feed conversion efficiency, reproduction and growth rates as well as causing piglet and adult mortalities. The economic losses due to the disease burden and inadequate intervention strategies are current issues facing the pig production industry. The risk of zoonotic spread of influenza, trypanosomiasis, larva migrans, teniasis, mange, cryptosporidiosis, balantidiasis, ancylostomiasis, entamoebiasis and jigger fleas from affected pigs is real. Disease control strategies through the provision of veterinary resources and services need attention, and a paradigm shift is required for sustainability and expansion of the pig production capacity in the country.

Objectives To assess the toxicopathologic effects of chronic exposure to the glyphosate-based herbicide Bushfire® on the pancreas of Wistar rats and the protective role of zinc. Methods We exposed the rats to daily doses of 14.4 to 750 mg/kg body weight of the glyphosate-based herbicide Bushfire® and to 50 or 100 mg/kg zinc, and measured blood glucose levels and serum insulin levels. Tissue samples were evaluated for histopathological alterations. Results Levels of both blood glucose and serum insulin increased in glyphosate-exposed rats, and moderate to severe degenerative changes were observed in both glandular pancreatic acinar cells and islets of Langerhans in all rats exposed to glyphosate. These effects were prevented by pretreatment with zinc. Conclusion Chronic exposure to glyphosate can alter pancreatic function and histoarchitecture, but zinc supplementation can mitigate these toxicopathologic effects.

Fifty four head samples of slaughtered one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) from Maiduguri Abattoir were used for the study. Out of this number, 33 (61.12%) were found to have one or more lesions, while 20 (38.88%) had no lesion. Broken tooth was found to have the highest prevalence of 20.75%, while caries was found to have the lowest prevalence of 1.89%. Among the 33 heads with lesions, 13 (24.53%) were females and 20 (37.74%) were males. Two (3.77%) were between the ages of 1 and 3 years, 11 (20.75%) were between the ages of 4 and 6 years and 20 (37.74%) were 7 years and above. Sexual dimorphism and age difference were observed in the study, where broken tooth and dental calculi were seen more in females than in males and more in older camel than in younger ones.

The study of pathological conditions of the male reproductive system is paramount to understanding reproductive inefficiency in the Sahel goat. In this study, 1048 Sahel bucks presented for slaughter at the Maiduguri metropolitan abattoir were evaluated for the presence of various pathological abnormalities of the reproductive system. A total incidence of 15.08% was recorded for various pathological conditions, with testicular, penile, and scrotal conditions having incidences of 7.82%, 4.80 and 2.50%, respectively. Bilateral testicular hypoplasia and atrophy and unilateral cryptorchidism accounted for incidences of 4.10%, 2.38%, and 1.24%, respectively, while paraphimosis and scrotal laceration had incidences of 1.72% and 1.05%, respectively. Age specific incidence of pathological conditions were not significant(P>0.05)between bucks aged (P<0.05)incidence of pathological conditions than other age groups. Histopathological evidence of inflammation, degeneration, and atrophy was observed in the testes, while inflammatory changes were observed in the prepuce.

The seroprevalence and maternal antibody profiles to Newcastle disease virus infection of guinea fowls were studied using haemagglutination inhibition (HI) test, in Borno and Yobe States of Nigeria. Of 822 sera and 354 egg yolk extracts tested, 327 (39.8%) and 242 (68.4%) were positive for NDV antibodies respectively. The seroprevalence was significantly higher (P< 0.05) in the dry (47%) than in the rainy (32.8%) seasons. Maternal antibodies in egg yolk extract (sampled during the rainy season), were significantly (P< 0.05) higher (68.4%) than the seroprevalence. The frequency distribution of antibody titers were skewed with 79.8% and 63.2 % of sera and egg yolk respectively having reciprocal antibody titres ≤ 20. The geometric mean antibody titre was higher (P< 0.05) in the dry season (3.7±2.0) than in the rainy season (2.5 ±1.7). The geometric mean titre was also higher (P

Testicular sizes of animals are important for identification of those with adequate sperm production. The aim of this study was to define the testicular and related size estimates that would be associated with optimal cauda epididymal sperm counts (ESC) in Sahel goats based on postmortem evaluations. A stratified quota sample population of 125 male goats inclusive of all testicular sizes was taken at a slaughterhouse in Maiduguri, Nigeria. The bucks were aged 18-30 months and weighed 17.04 ± 2.99 (12-25) kg. Body, testicular and epididymal weights of each goat with other related size measurements were estimated. ESC was determined from homogenized tissue using a manual cytometer. At the cut-off ESC of >1.1 × 109 sperm heads, 66 (52.5%) of the goats had optimal ESC which was associated with testicular weight of 59.90 ± 16.10 (31.4-86.2) kg, gonado somatic index of 3.51 ± 0.69 (2.0-4.5) g/kg and scrotal circumference of 19.07 ± 1.29 (17.0-21.8) cm. The ESC correlated better with age than body weight of the animals and correlated also with testicular and scrotal size variables and epididymal weights. The size variables of the scrotum and testis correlated with one another. These findings provide data that may be used to anticipate adequate antemortem sperm reserve based on testicular size during preliminary selection of sires for breeding from a sexually mature Sahel buck population.Keywords: Optimal sperm output, testicular size, scrotal size, Sahel goat, Nigeria

La decoccion de la corteza del tallo de Ficus sycomorus se usa para tratar la infertilidad relacionada al bajo conteo de espermatozoides, pero es incierto el riesgo reproductivo asociado con su uso. El extracto acuoso de la corteza se administro, en ratas albinas, por via oral, en una dosis de 200-600 mg/kg, durante 30 dias post-crecimiento puberal. Durante el periodo, fueron controlados los siguientes parametros: peso corporal in vivo, diametro escrotal y tamano testicular. El promedio de peso corporal in vivo y diametro escrotal de las ratas control y tratadas, tuvieron un incremento significativo (p 0,05) esos parametros. No hubo variaciones significativas (p> 0,05) en la media de los parametros tamano testicular en las ratas tratadas y control, ni tampoco se produjeron efectos dependientes de la dosis, ni en funcion del tiempo. Las secciones de los testiculos de los animales tratados mostraron una espermatogenesis activa a nivel de los tubulos seminiferos, sin lesiones histologicas aparentes. Se concluye, que el uso del extracto crudo de Ficus sycomorus, dentro de una dosis de 200-600 mg/kg, presenta minimo riesgo en la reproduccion masculina, sin embargo, se hace necsario estudiar su efecto pro-espermatico.

A questionnaire-based study of chicken production system with on-farm biosecurity practices was carried out in commercial poultry farms located in Jos, Nigeria. Commercial and semicommercial farms had 75.3% and 24.5% of 95,393 birds on 80 farms, respectively. Farms using deep litter and battery cage systems were 69 (86.3%) and 10 (12.5%), respectively. In our biosecurity scoring system, a correct practice of each indicator of an event scored 1.00 and biosecurity score (BS) of each farm was the average of the scores of biosecurity indicators for the farm, giving BS of zero and 1.00 as absence of biosecurity and optimal biosecurity, respectively. Semicommercial farms had higher BS than commercial farms. The flock size did not significantly (p>0.05) affect the mean BS. Disease outbreaks correlated (r=-0.97) with BS, showing a tendency of reduction of disease outbreaks with increasing BS. Outbreaks were significantly (p<0.05) associated with deep litter system. In conclusion, the chicken production system requires increased drive for excellent biosecurity practices and weak points in the biosecurity could be ameliorated by extension of information to farmers in order to support expansion of chicken production with robust biosecurity measures that drastically reduce risk of disease outbreak.

A typical mammalian erythrocyte fragility phenotype (EFP) exhibits a sigmoidal curve of the dependence of fragilities (% haemolysis) on hypotonic saline concentrations, but the goat EFP tends to be hyperbolic. Physiological variation in median erythrocyte fragility (MEF) and the associated EFP of Sahel goats was investigated. Erythrocyte osmotic fragility (EOF) was determined in hypotonic saline using heparinized venous blood from 47 goats (23 males and 24 non-pregnant dry females) aged 1-4 years and weighing 18.87 ± 6.32 (9-30) kg. Packed cell volume (PCV), erythrocyte count and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) were also estimated. Low, medium and high EFP were based on MEF of < 7, 7-8 and > 8 g/L, respectively. MEF of all the goats was 7.5 ± 0.6 (5.9-8.4) g/L. Phenotypic drift from sigmoidal to hyperbolic EOF curve was observed at the lower and upper limits of the phenotypic variation. Frequencies of occurrence of low, medium and high EFP were not different (p > 0.05) between males and females. Fragiligrams of low, medium and high EFP separated at erythrocyte fragilities of 10-70% and saline tonicity of 7-8 g/L. The saline concentrations causing fragilities of 10-70% differed (p < 0.05) among the phenotypes. There was no correlation (r = -0.28, -0.30; p > 0.05) between MEF and MCV or PCV, and between PCV and MCV. In conclusion, phenotypic drift in EOF occurred in Sahel goats without influence by erythrocyte parameters and represented the physiological variability of EOF endpoint estimates that would serve as reference limits in evaluation of erythrocyte membrane defects. Keywords: Erythrocyte size, Median fragility, Osmotic fragility, Phenotypic drift, Sahel goat

The reliability of FAMACHA © chart for identifying anaemic goats was compared with Packed Cell Volume (PCV). The colour of the lower eyelids was graded with FAMACHA © chart based on FAMACHA © scores (FS) of 1-5. The animals were scored from severely anaemic (white or FS 5) through moderately anaemic (pink or FS 3) to non-anaemic (red or FS 1). The prevalence of anaemia in the animals was also determined. This study was done to control death of animals from anaemia by the use of FAMACHA © chart, a method which does not need laboratory analysis and can be used by the illiterate with minimal training. A total of 415 goats were used for the study. Blood samples were collected for determination of PCV. Data for both FS and PCV were evaluated using two separate cut off points for each sample (values of FS 4 and 5 or FS 5 and PCV values of ≤ 19% or ≤ 15 %), to determine anaemic animals. The FAMACHA © Score of the evaluated goats was normally distributed, with FS 3 occurring most frequently (34.5%), whilst, the least was FS 1 (5.3%). There was a high negative correlation between FS and PCV (r = -0.69, P < 0.02). The sensitivity of FS was high (64%) when FS 5 and PCV ≤ 19%, were used to determine anaemia, but when FS 4&5 and PCV ≤ 15% were used, the sensitivity decreased to 22%. Thus, it was concluded that FAMACHA © scores of 5 gave the most reliable indicator of anaemia in goats, coinciding with the PCV values of ≤ 19%. A high Likelihood Ratio of 22 was recorded in this study. Indicating that FS will be positive for anaemia 22 times in anaemic animals than in non anaemic animals. Keywords: Anaemia, FAMACHA © chart, Goat, Reliability, Sensitivity

Feline Panleukopenia Virus (FPV) is a leading cause of death in unvaccinated and susceptible cat populations. The present study aims to determine the prevalence of FPV and associated risk factors in pet and stray cats in Maiduguri, Northeastern Nigeria. A cross sectional survey was conducted involving two hundred cats sampled randomly. Commercial test Kit FASTest® PARVO Strip® was used for the detection of FPV in the faeces of the pet and stray cats. The prevalence in pet and stray cats were 4.0% (CI =0.0204, 0.0769) and 9.5% (CI = 0.0617, 0.1436) respectively. All the apparently healthy cats did not test positive for FPV. However, the prevalence of FPV in the sick cats was 13.5% (CI = 0.0945, 0.1893). The male and female cats had prevalence of 7.0% (CI = 0.0422, 0.1141) and 6.5% (CI = 0.0384, 0.1080) respectively. Feline Panleukopenia Virus was found to be more prevalent in cats that were less than 6 months with 10% (CI = 0.0657, 0.1494) and 3.5% (CI = 0.0171, 0.0705) in cats greater than 6 months old. A strong and significant association was found (χ2 = 103.565; P < 0.0001) between age groups and the status of infection. There was a strong and significant association (χ2 = 217.768; P < 0.0001) between gender and the type of management system of these cats. The present study has demonstrated for the first time the presence of FPV in pet and stray cats in Maiduguri, Nigeria.

Un foyer de bursite infectieuse (IBD) est apparu en même temps qu'une colibacillose septicémique aiguë chez des poulettes âgées de 15 semaines. La septicémie a été précédée par une IBD subclinique. Dans ce foyer, la mortalité a commencé par des cas de septicémie et Escherichia coli a été isolé du sang du cœur des oiseaux. Après traitement antibiotique, les mortalités se sont poursuivies en augmen-tant, puis, après un pic, ont décliné et enfin ont cessé. L'IBD a été confirmée par des lésions des bourses caractérisées par une lymphocytose importante et une dégénération cystique des follicules lymphoïdes. Sur les 253 volailles, 42 (16,60 %) sont mortes dans une période de huit jours. Les éléments liés à ce foyer laissent à penser que l'absence de vaccination de rappel contre IBD a favorisé l'établissement d'IBD subclinique, diminuant fortement l'immunité et prédisposant les volailles à la septicémie colibacillaire.

The effect of intravenous infusion of a solution of lactose-in-normal saline on the course of Trypanosoma vivax induced anaemia in Zebu yearlings was investigated. The animals were infected with 11 x 106 trypanosomes by jugular venipuncture and lactose-in-normal saline infusion started on day 6, post-infection (p.i). Three four-hourly doses of 0.5 g lactose/kg body weight were administered to each infected yearling in the experimental group daily for five days, while the infected control yearlings received no lactose-infusion. The experiment was terminated on day 13, p.i. Parasitaemia in the lactoseinfusedyearlings was scorable throughout the duration of experiment while parasites could not be detected in the blood of the infected control yearlings between days 7 and 9, p.i. Serum free sialic acids(FSA) concentration was also consistently higher in the lactose-infused yearlings than in the lactosefree ones. In the before lactose infusion (BL) period the PCV of the lactose-infused group dropped at asignificantly (P < 0.05) faster rate than in the lactose-free one. In the DL (during lactose infusion) period, the rate and magnitude of decline in PCV was significantly lower in the lactose-infused yearlings than inthe lactose-free animals. When lactose infusion was stopped (AL) the rate and magnitude of PCV decline became greater in the lactose-infused yearlings than in the lactose-free ones. It was thusconcluded that lactose ameliorated anaemia, by inhibiting the sequestration of desialylated erythrocytes from the blood stream of T. vivax-infected yearlings. This manifested in the reducedmagnitude and rate of decrease in PCV in the lactose-infused infected yearlings.

The effects of aqueous extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa calyces on haematology and pathological changes in some selected organs during experimental Trypanosoma congolense infection of rats were investigated. Three groups of rats were intraperitoneally infected with T. congolense (Karu stock). One group was administered with the aqueous extract and another given a solution of vitamin C in drinking water; the remaining infected group was left untreated. Data from these groups were compared with those of two groups of healthy rats, one of which was similarly treated with the aqueous extract. The experiment was terminated three weeks, post-infection (pi). The uninfected and infected rats administered the extract consumed the equivalent of 9.94 mg - and 9.61 mg ascorbic acid / 100g / day during the experiment. Consumption of the extract significantly (p

De las 1608 cabras Sahel Nigerianas macho examinadas para criptorquidismo en un matadero, 9 (0,6%) tuvieron criptorquidia unilateral derecha. La prevalencia en relacion al color especifico del pelaje fue mayor entre las cabras marrones (2,1%), y fue de 0,8%, 0,6% y 0,3% entre cabras de color negro, blanco, y blanco/negro respectivamente. La condicion no fue encontrada entre las cabras con pelajes marron y negro, marron y blanco, y pelajes de multiples colores. Los testiculos derecho e izquierdo de las cabras normales y los testiculos descendentes de las cabras con criptorquidia tuvieron mediciones testiculares comparables, pero los testiculos retenidos por criptorquidia fueron de menor tamano. Las estimaciones de las mediciones testiculares mostraron que los pesos testiculares (con todo el epididimo), la longitud periferica y la circunferencia media de las criptorquidicas fueron reducidas por 5,8-6,5; 1,8-1,9 y 1,7-1,8 pliegues respectivamente, en comparacion con el los valores normales; una indicacion que la reduccion de peso fue el indice de cambio mas notable en el tamano testicular. En 2 casos (20%), los testiculos criptorquidicos se encontraron en una ubicacion subcutanea, inmersos en una fascia subcutanea en la region perineal ventral, mientras que en los otros 8 casos criptorquidicos (80%), los testiculos fueron encontrados en el abdomen. Cambios histopatologicos en los testiculos criptorquidicos incluyeron hipoplasia, degeneracion, inflamacion intersticial no supurativa y fibroplasia. Este es el primer informe de criptorquidia en cabras Sahel y la primera evidencia de que los testiculos criptorquidicos pueden ser localizados por via subcutanea en la cabra.

Eighty healthy adult albino rats of both sexes weighing 180-200g were used in two experiments to study the effects of oral calcium chloride treatment on the pathogenicity of Trypanosoma congolense infection. Experiment 1 was terminated at the peak of parasitaemia while experiment II was allowed to run a full course. In each experiment, forty rats were divided into four groups of 10 rats each, namely: A, uninfected untreated control; B, treated uninfected control; C, infected untreated and D, treated infected. Aqueous solution (10%) of CaCl2 was administered daily using stomach tube to each rat at 100mg/kg in groups B and D from 7 days before infection to the end of the study. Each rat in groups C and D was infected by intraperitoneal injection of 1x106 trypanosomes in phosphate buffered saline solution (pH 7.4) diluted donor rat blood. The infected untreated group exhibited higher (P T. congolense infection by delaying the onset of parasitaemia and reducing the levels of parasitaemia, accompanied anaemia as well as organ damage. Keywords : rats, Trypanosoma congolense , calcium chloride treatment, pathogenicity African Journal of Biomedical Research Vol. 8(3) 2005: 197-201

Four groups (A, B, C and D) of 10 rats in each group were used to investigate relapse of infection in single and mixed trypanosome infections. Groups A served as uninfected control, groups B and C were infected with Trypanosoma brucei (Wamba strain) and T. congolense (Federe strain), respectively, and group D was infected with both species (50% of each species in the infective inoculum). Each infected rat received 1×106 trypanosomes by intraperitoneal injection of the inoculum. On day 14 post-infection, when the parasitaemia had reached the peak, infected rats were treated with diminazene aceturate at a dose of 10.5 mg/kg as a single intraperitoneal injection. All rats were aparasitaemic after treatment until days 42 and 49 post-treatment, when relapse of T. brucei infection occurred in two rats in each of groups B and D, respectively. All effectively cured rats remained aparasitaemic until the end of experiment on day 91 post-treatment. In conclusion, only T. brucei relapsed in 20% of treated cases in both single and mixed infections, whereas no relapse occurred in treated T. congolense infection, thus indicating that the interaction of T. brucei and T. congolense in mixed infections did not affect the curability of T. congolense infection.

Les concentrations moyennes de glutathion érythrocytaire chez les bovins zébus Wadara nigérians (n = 32) étaient de 43,9 ± 11,7 mg/dl de globules rouges ou 1,96 ± 0,57 mg/gHb. Les valeurs du glutathion érythrocytaire exprimées dans ces deux mesures ont montré une corrélation (r = 0,85) l'une envers l'autre. L'hématocrite et les concentrations d'hémoglobine sont corrélés (r = 0,59, 0,52) avec les valeurs du glutathion érythrocytaire. La répartition des fréquences a montré que 37,5 % et 90.6 % des valeurs étaient respectivement inférieures aux 40 et 60 mg/dl de globules rouges. La concentration moyenne de l'acide ascorbique du plasma était de 0,7 ± 0,2 mg/dl. De faibles corrélations non significatives (r = -0,01, -0,36) ont été observées entre les concentrations du glutathion érythrocytaire et de l'acide ascorbique du plasma. En conséquence, les valeurs du glutathion érythrocytaire étaient affectées de façon significative par celles de l'hématocrite et de l'hémoglobine, mais pas par celles de l'acide ascorbique du plasma.

Une étude réalisée sur les concentrations de glutathion érythrocytaire des bovins zébus et Ndama nigérians a mis en évidence une variation allant de 40,8 à 135,1 mg/100 ml de globules rouges, avec une moyenne de 84,0 ± 25,4 mg/1o0 ml. On a observé une corrélation positive entre les concentrations de glutathion et l'hématocrite (r = 0,58, p0,05).

Twenty rats were made diabetic by treatment with alloxan monohydrate (10% solution, 100 mg/kg body weight). Ten diabetic and ten non-diabetic rats were intraperitoneally infected with the same infective doses of Trypanosoma brucei brucei (Lafia strain). The uninfected controls were ten diabetic and ten non-diabetic rats. The prepatent period was shorter in the diabetics (3.5 +/- 0.5 days) than the non-diabetics (4.2 +/- 0.4 days). Although the infected diabetic and non-diabetic rats had comparable levels of peak parasitaemia, the diabetics had significantly (P0.05) higher parasitaemia before this peak. The survival time was shorter (P0.05) for the infected diabetics (12.1 +/- 3.2 days) than for the infected non-diabetics (14.8 +/- 1.7 days). The infection did not affect the level of diabetic hyperglycaemia, but caused a more severe anaemia in the diabetics than the non-diabetics, with the percentage decreases in packed cell volume in the diabetics being higher (P0.05) from days 3 to 12 post-infection. In conclusion, the pathogenic effects of trypanosome infection may be more severe in rats having alloxan-induced diabetes.

An outbreak of infectious bursal disease (IBD) occurred concurrently with acute septicaemic colibacillosis in 15 week old prelayer hens. The septicaemia was preceded by a subclinical IBD. Mortality in the outbreak began with lesions of septicaemia and Escherichia coli was isolated from the heart blood of the birds. After antibiotic treatment of the bacteraemia, mortality continued, spiked, declined and then ceased. IBD was confirmed by bursal lesions characterized by severe lymphocytolysis and cystic degeneration of the lymphoid follicles. Out of 253 birds, 42 (16.60%) died within eight days. The circumstances of the outbreak suggested that lack of IBD booster vaccination favoured the establishment of subclinical IBD, which suppressed immunity to predispose the birds to colisepticaemia.

Une enquête sur la tuberculose chez le bétail a été réalisée dans quatre abattoirs situés à Maiduguri, Damboa, Damaturu et Gashua au nord-est du Nigeria, de 1994 à 1998. Sur un total de 1 698 000 bovins abattus examinés post mortem, 2,8 (intervalle de confiance de 95 p. 100 : 2,76–2,84) avaient des lésions tuberculeuses pulmonaires. La prévalence a varié de 1,9 p. 100 à l’abattoir de Damaturu à 20 p. 100 à celui de Damboa. Les prévalences annuelles durant la période de l’étude ont varié de 2,3 à 4,7 p. 100. Les prévalences mensuelles ont révélé de prévalences sporadiques élevées au-delà du seul endémique. En conclusion, il a été trouvé que la tuberculose bovine était encore endémique dans cette région et des indications ont montré qu’elle avait atteint des proportions épidémiques dans la zone de Damboa. Il est donc nécessaire que le gouvernement fédéral prenne et mette en oeuvre des mesures de lutte afin de limiter la propagation de la maladie dans les cheptels bovins et sa transmission à l’homme.

A subchronic toxicity study was carried out to assess hepatic and renal functions of rats during oral exposure to glyphosate with zinc for the period of 8 weeks. Forty-eight Wistar rats used for the study were randomized into six groups of eight Wistar rats each, and each group had equal number of male and female Wistar rats. The Wistar rats administered with distilled water at 2 ml/kg body weight served as the control group (DW); others were administered with zinc at 50 mg/kg body weight (Z) group, glyphosate at 375 mg/kg body weight (G) group, a combination of zinc and glyphosate at 50 and 375 mg/kg body weight, respectively (Z + G), group, glyphosate at 14.4 mg/kg body weight (GC) group, and a combination of zinc and glyphosate at 50 and 14.4 mg/kg body weight, respectively (Z + GC), group. At the end of the study, blood samples were collected from each rats; from which, sera samples were obtained and assayed for total protein, albumin, alanine and aspartate aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase, Na+, K+, Cl−, \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$ \mathrm{HCO}_3^{-} $$\end{document}, Ca2+, \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$ \mathrm{PO}_4^{-} $$\end{document}, urea and creatinine using autoanalyzer, and globulin was calculated. The albumin concentration was significantly high (p 0.05), and the relative changes were ameliorated by supplementation with zinc. The alkaline phosphatase activity was relatively low in GC group; however, supplementation with zinc in Z + GC group made it to be significantly high (p

The effects of daily intraperitoneally administered doses of 100 mg/kg bd. wt. vitamin C on levels of some endogenous antioxidants as well as hepatic and renal function were investigated in a group of rabbits infected with a strain of Trypanosoma congolense (strain number: BS2/TC /SP28/P4). Values of parameters estimated in this group during and after 5 weeks of infection were compared with those from a group of similarly infected, but vitamin-free rabbits as well as two groups of healthy rabbits, one group of which was similarly treated with vitamin C. T. congolense infection caused significant (P