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Objective: Understanding hazards within the veterinary profession is critical for developing strategies to ensure health and safety in the work environment. This study was conducted to systematically review and synthesize data on reported risks within veterinary workplaces. Methods: A systematic review of published data reporting occupational hazards and associated risk factors were searched within three database platforms namely PubMed, Ebscohost, and Google scholar. To determine the proportion estimates of hazards and pooled odds ratio, two random-effects meta-analysis were performed. Results: Data showed veterinarians and students were at high risk of exposure to diverse physical, chemical, and biological hazards. For the biological, chemical and physical hazards, the pooled proportion estimates were 17% (95% CI: 15.0-19.0, p < 0.001), 7.0% (95% CI: 6.0-9.0%, p < 0.001) and 65.0% (95% CI: 39.0-91.0%, p < 0.001) respectively. A pooled odds ratio indicated the odds of physical (OR=1.012, 95% CI: 1.008-1.017, p < 0.001) and biological exposures (OR=2.07, 95% CI: 1.70-2.52, p

The impact of leptospirosis on food animals and humans has not been fully elucidated. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of pathogenic Leptospira organism in renal tissues of slaughtered cattle from two major abattoirs in southwestern Nigeria. One hundred and seventy (170) kidney samples of different breeds, ages, and sexes were collected and examined using cultural isolation, microscopic agglutination test (MAT), Warthin silver (WSs) impregnation and immunohistochemistry (IH). Chi-square test was used with a confidence level set at 0.05 to ascertain associations between positive cases and sex, age, and breed. One hundred and thirty (76.5%) of the kidney samples were culturally positive while 83.3% (25/31), 41.6% (37/89), and 35% (7/20) were MAT, WSss, and immunohistochemically positive, respectively. Interstitial nephritis (87%, 94/108) and tubular nephrosis (77.8%, 84/108) were the most prominent and consistent microscopic lesions observed.Serovars Hardjoprajitno (29%) and Bratislava (22.6%) were the most prevalent serovars. To the best of our knowledge, studies on determination of pathogenic Leptospira serovars using cultural isolation, MAT, WSSs, and IH from kidneys of naturally infected cattle in Nigeria are rare. This study is the most comprehensive work in the detection of pathogenic Leptospira species from cattle in Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: Because of the nature of work conducted in veterinary laboratories and potential exposures to pathogenic microorganisms, good laboratory practices, risk assessments, biosafety, and biosecurity capacity is becoming vital. In this study, the Food and Agriculture Organization Laboratory Mapping Tool-Safety Module was applied to demonstrate its practical implementation in the assessment of biosafety and biosecurity statuses of veterinary laboratories in Nigeria. METHODS: The Laboratory Mapping Tool-Safety Module, a standardized questionnaire, systematically and semiquantitatively gathered data on 98 subcategories covering 4 areas of biosafety and biosecurity capabilities: administrative, operational, engineering, and personal protective equipment. RESULTS: Overall, the various areas and categories covered by the Laboratory Mapping Tool-Safety Module were weak across the board, with a mean performance of 19.5% (95% confidence interval, 14.0%-25.1%; range, 0.8%-29.6%). The weakest functionality was in emergency preparedness (0.8%; ie, emergency responses and exercises such as fire drills, spill cleanup, and biological spill kit availability). Also, many laboratories were deficient in metrology procedures, biosafety cabinets, chemical hazard containment, regular maintenance and external calibration procedures for laboratory equipment, and personnel health and safety. However, a few functionalities within individual laboratories scored above average (50%), for example, a university microbiology laboratory animal facility (100%). Interlaboratory comparison indicated that biosafety and biosecurity performance was similar across laboratories (P = .07) and did not vary by location (P = .37). CONCLUSIONS: Significant biosafety and biosecurity improvements are needed to guarantee the health and safety of workers and the global community, efficient responses to infectious disease containment, and compliance with the Global Health Security Agenda.

In African countries, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) issue remains pertinent. Despite this, little efforts have been made to assess the future veterinary prescribers on their knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) related to antimicrobial usage. This multi-country survey attempts to explore the KAP of future veterinarians on stewardship of antimicrobial and identify knowledge gaps. Eight veterinary schools participated from Nigeria, Sudan and South Africa. Data regarding perceptions and knowledge were analyzed using Chi-square χ2 test, Spearman's (Rho) Rank order correlation and factor analysis using principal component factoring extraction method. Fifty-two percent of the study participants were final year veterinary students, respectively, and majority (77.2%) had no previous knowledge of biomedical sciences. Majority age were 22–27 years (24.7 ± 2.8) 79% and multiple career fields post-graduation were preferred. Overall, poor perceptions and knowledge of antimicrobial stewardship were observed with variations among countries and only 36.3% (n = 123) of the students were confident in their ability to choose the ideal antimicrobial agents for a specific patient/group of animals. The majority of the final year students were confident of their knowledge regarding AMR (68%), making of Gram staining (69.2%) and in choosing the most ideal route for administering a specific antimicrobial (74.7%). The final year students had significantly (p < 0.05) higher confidence level for knowledge compared with the pre-final year students. Tetracyclines, penicillins, and sulphonamides represent the three most abused veterinary antimicrobials with similar ranking across countries. South African (69.7 ± 20.5) and Sudanese (68.1 ± 15.4) had significantly (p < 0.0001) higher mean scores compared to the Nigerian students (44.3 ± 6.8) in the student's ability to correctly match some specific antimicrobials against their classes but Nigerian students performed better in ranking antimicrobials. This survey revealed poor to average knowledge of antimicrobial stewardship among veterinary students with significant knowledge gaps across the countries. It is recommended that the relevant regulatory and standardization authorities should make concerted efforts and interventions to regularly review curricula to ensure the delivery of targeted formative and normative training, and improved lectures on antimicrobial usage and stewardship in order to improve the awareness and behaviors of future prescribers. The identified knowledge gaps of veterinary medical students on antimicrobial stewardship must be bridge to safeguard the future.

The novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic with an increasing public health concern. Due to the non-availability of a vaccine against the disease, non-pharmaceutical interventions constitute major preventive and control measures. However, inadequate knowledge about the disease and poor perception might limit compliance. This study examined COVID-19-related knowledge, practices, perceptions and associated factors amongst undergraduate veterinary medical students in Nigeria. A cross-sectional web survey was employed to collect data from 437 consenting respondents using pre-tested self-administered questionnaire (August 2020). Demographic factors associated with the knowledge and adoption of recommended preventive practices towards COVID-19 were explored using multivariate logistic regression at P ≤ 0.05. The respondents’ mean knowledge and practice scores were 22.7 (SD ± 3.0) and 24.1 (SD ± 2.9), respectively with overall 63.4% and 88.8% displaying good knowledge and satisfactory practice levels. However, relatively lower proportions showed adherence to avoid touching face or nose (19.5%), face mask-wearing (58.1%), and social distancing (57.4%). Being in the 6th year of study (OR = 3.18, 95%CI: 1.62–6.26, P = 0.001) and female (OR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.11–4.41, P = 0.024) were significant positive predictors of good knowledge and satisfactory practices, respectively. While only 30% of the respondents perceived the pandemic as a scam or a disease of the elites (24.0%), the respondents were worried about their academics being affected negatively (55.6%). Veterinary Medical Students in Nigeria had good knowledge and satisfactory preventive practices towards COVID-19; albeit with essential gaps in the key non-pharmaceutical preventive measures recommended by the WHO. Therefore, there is a need to step up enlightenment and targeted campaigns about COVID-19 pandemic.

ObjectiveUnderstanding hazards within the veterinary profession is critical for developing strategies to ensure health and safety in the work environment. This study was conducted to systematically review and synthesize data on reported risks within veterinary workplaces.MethodsA systematic review of published data reporting occupational hazards and associated risk factors were searched within three database platforms namely PubMed, Ebscohost, and Google scholar. To determine the proportion estimates of hazards and pooled odds ratio, two random-effects meta-analysis were performed.ResultsData showed veterinarians and students were at high risk of exposure to diverse physical, chemical, and biological hazards. For the biological, chemical and physical hazards, the pooled proportion estimates were 17% (95% CI: 15.0–19.0, p < 0.001), 7.0% (95% CI: 6.0–9.0%, p < 0.001) and 65.0% (95% CI: 39.0–91.0%, p < 0.001) respectively. A pooled odds ratio indicated the odds of physical (OR = 1.012, 95% CI: 1.008–1.017, p < 0.001) and biological exposures (OR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.70–2.52, p < 0.001) increased more when working with or in contact with animals than non-contact.ConclusionsThis review has provided a better understanding of occupational health and safety status of veterinarians and gaps within the developing countries. Veterinarians including students are at considerable risk of occupational-related hazards. The need to improve government and organisation policies and measures on occupational health and safety is therefore crucial, most importantly in Africa.

This study investigated the distribution of bacterium categories isolated from poultry feces and litters on commercial laying hen farms in Remo and Egba local government areas, Ogun State, Nigeria. In total 29 species of lactose and non-lactose fermenters were recovered. Bacteria isolated from feces included Aeromonas hydrophila (27.5%), Providencia stuartii (15.5%), Actinobacillus sp. (9.1%), Burkholderia cepacia (7.7%), Serratia marcescens (4.9%), Citrobacter diversus (4.9%), Klebsiella oxytoca (4.2%), and Enterobacter gergoviae (4.2%). Others were Escherichia coli (2.1%), Plesiomonas shigelloides (2.1%), Vibrio alginolyticus (2.1%), Morganella morganii (2.1%), Pantoea agglomerans (1.4%), Vibrio mimicus (1.4%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (1.4%), Burkholderia pseudomallei (1.4%), Salmonella arizonae (0.7%), Klebsiella pneumonia (0.7%), Acinetobacter iwoffii (0.7%), Vibrio vulnificus (0.7%), Shewanella putrefaciens (0.7%), Proteus mirabilis (0.7%) and Proteus vulgaris (0.7%). There was 66.7% similarity between the bacterium profile of litters and that of feces; some additional strains were identified in the litters. No variation (p = 0.64) was observed in the number of isolated bacterium types from feces and litter samples. However, the number of bacterium types isolated from fecal samples differed (p = 0.002) between the two studied areas. Results suggest that there is a potential risk of wide-range bacterial transmission within poultry populations, and to humans in close contact with them.

Genotypic based detection methods using specific target sites in the pathogen genome can complement phenotypic identification. We report the development of species-specific antisense peptide nucleic acid (PNA) combined with selective and differential enrichment growth conditions for Salmonella treatment and detection. An antisense PNA oligomer targeting the Salmonella ftsZ gene and conjugated with a cell-penetrating peptide ((KFF)3K) was exploited to probe bacteria cultured in three different growth media (Muller Hinton broth (MHB), Rappaport-Vassiliadis Soya Peptone Broth (RVS, Oxoid), and in-house modified Rappaport-Vassiliadis Soya Peptone Broths (mRVSs). Also, water and milk artificially contaminated with bacteria were probed. Antisense PNA provided detectable changes in Salmonella growth and morphology in all media and artificially contaminated matrices except RVS. Salmonella was detected as elongated cells. On the contrary, treated Escherichia coli did not elongate, providing evidence of differentiation and selectivity for Salmonella. Similarly, Salmonella probed with mismatched PNAs did not elongate. Antisense oligomers targeted ftsZ mRNA in combination with selective growth conditions can provide a detection strategy for viable Salmonella in a single reaction, and act as a potential tool for bacteria detection in real food and environmental samples., Microbiology; Veterinary Medicine; Health Sciences; Public Health; Infectious Disease; Salmonella; Antisense; Peptide nucleic acids; ftsZ; Microbial diagnostics.

Veterinary practices or activities expose professionals, including students, to hazards associated with animal contact. To describe workplace health and safety status and risk factors associated with hazards among veterinary clinical students in South West Nigeria, a cross-sectional survey was conducted using a semistructured questionnaire. Data on demographics, health and safety (HS) status, work-related hazards, healthcare facilities, and immunisation history were obtained. Of 167 students recruited, 100 (60.2%) were males, and >77.1% fell within the age group of 21–25 years. Many participants (77.0%) reported the lack of active HS committee. Exposures to various physical hazards (PHs) such as needlestick injuries (NSIs, 41.5%), animal scratches (42.0%), animal kicks (33.0%), falls/slips (25.0%), and, less frequently, animal bites (13.8%) were reported. Allergies (35.9%) and acute gastrointestinal infection (25.6%) mainly after contact with dogs presented with parvoviral enteritis were reported. For chemical hazards, 27.8% and 29.0% of participants indicated having had eye burn and choke on exposure to formalin. No adequate immunisation against either tetanus, rabies, or both was provided (p=0.02), and frequencies of student contact with various animal types were strongly associated with exposures to different physical and biological risks (p<0.05). This study revealed poor health and safety training, practices, and increased exposure of students to a wide range of hazards. Therefore, the development of mitigation programmes in veterinary schools becomes critical to safeguard students’ wellbeing.

Understanding the knowledge and perceptions of veterinary students of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as potential future prescribers of antimicrobials may serve as an opportunity to improve stewardship of AMR. Pre-final (n = 42) and final (n = 29) year veterinary students of the University of Pretoria completed questionnaires to determine their knowledge and perceptions of AMR. Of the 71 respondents, mixed practice (48%) and small animal practice (45%) were the most preferred career choices post-graduation, with the field of gross pathology being the least preferred. Over 80% of the respondents believed that veterinary practitioners’ misuse of antimicrobials contributes to AMR and a higher percentage (98.6%) believed that farmers’ misuse of antimicrobials encourages the development of AMR, in particular, in food animals (60.6%) compared to companion animals (50.7%). Agreement in the ranking of abuse of antimicrobials between pre-final and final year students was fair (36.4%; kappa 0.3), and the most abused antimicrobials in descending order listed by the students were tetracyclines, penicillins, sulphonamides and aminoglycosides. There was wide disparity between training and potential field application, as well as variations in the correct matching of antimicrobials to their respective antibiotic classes. Responses to the clinical application of antimicrobials also varied widely. Despite the apparent teaching of AMR to veterinary students, gaps may exist in the translation of theoretical concepts to clinical applications, hence the need for focused and targeted antimicrobial prescription and stewardship training to bridge these potential identified gaps.

Poultry production contributes largely to the Nigerian economy. However, antibiotics misuse by poultry farmers has resulted in multidrug resistance and impeded efficiency of antibiotic treatments in the industry. The study was carried out to assess antibiotic usage in commercial poultry farms. A survey using a structured farm-manager questionnaire was conducted to obtain information on socioeconomic characteristics of the farm owners or managers, the types of antibiotics used, their frequency and purpose of use, the awareness of antibiotics usage and associated consequences, and farmers’ preferred channels of information on prudent antibiotic usage. The respondents’ level of education was university or equivalent (70.9%), high school (12.6%), or no formal education (13.6%). Antibiotics were primarily used for prophylaxis (> 60%) and therapeutics (< 15%). Gentamicin (76.7%) was the most used, followed by tetracycline (64.1%), enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin (57.3%), furazolidone (49.5%), streptomycin (46.6%), furaltadone (43.7%), chloramphenicol (41.7%), penicillin (25.2%), erythromycin (24.3%), and nalidixic acid (11.7%). About half of the farms used banned furazolidone and chloramphenicol. In total 82 (79.6%) farmers were aware that the use of random antibiotics in the treatment of improperly diagnosed diseases can lead to antibiotic resistance. However 73 (70.9%) were less aware that antibiotics misuse in animals poses a serious threat to humanhealth. Antibiotics were not prudently used by poultry producers, whose lack of awareness may contribute to the issue. It is anticipated that the results of this survey will assist in developing relevant policies toward controlling antibiotic use in poultry farms in Nigeria.