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Kebede Araya Abay,1 Girmay Desalegn,2 Yemane Weldu,2 Gebrecherkos Teame Gebrehiwot,3 Gebreselema Gebreyohannes,4 Letemicheal Negash Welekidan,2 Kibra Hailu Desta,2 Yohanns Tekle Asfaw,5 Ataklti Gessese Teka,3 Mulugeta Tilahun Gebremedhin3 1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dr. Tewelde Legesse College of Health Sciences, Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia; 2Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia; 3Department of Biomedical Research and Technology Transfer, Tigray Health Research Institute, Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia; 4Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Mekelle Institute of Technology, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia; 5Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Health, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Tigray, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Gebrecherkos Teame Gebrehiwot, Email cherkos77kga@gmail.comBackground: Campylobacter species are the most predominant bacterial agents to cause diarrhea in under-five children. It poses a serious challenge to public health worldwide with ongoing acquisition of resistance to different antimicrobials with multiple patterns. Thus, this study aimed to determine the prevalence, and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter species, and associated factors among under-five children with diarrhea in selected public health facilities.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among under-five children with diarrhea using convenient sampling. Health facilities were selected using a simple random sampling method. The stool samples collected from 214 study participants were transported and processed following standard microbiological protocols. Campylobacter isolates were identified using Gram staining, biochemical test, serological test, and aerobic growth at 25°C. Antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of isolates were performed using the Kirby–Bauer method. Data were analyzed using SPSS ver. 25.0. Association between variables was assessed using Chi-square test and Logistic regression, with P ≤ 0.05.Results: The subject’s mean age was 31.3 (± 3.9) months. Of the 214 samples cultured, 14 (6.5%) of them were positive for Campylobacter species with 95% CI (3.3– 10.3). Out of the isolated species, 12 (85.7%) were Campylobacter jejuni /Campylobacter coli and 2 (14.3%) were other Campylobacter species. Bottle feeding and history of direct contact to domestic animals were associated with Campylobacter species (AOR=5.13, CI=1.21– 21.6, p=0.026 and AOR=4.93, CI=1.33– 18.17, P=0.016), respectively. Campylobacter isolates were highly resistant to ciprofloxacin 5 (35.7%), and tetracycline 3 (21.4%).Conclusion: A higher incidence of Campylobacter species was obtained in children who were bottle-fed and who had a history of direct contact with domestic animals. The isolates were highly resistant to ciprofloxacin and tetracycline. These findings indicate that special attention is needed for better management of Campylobacter drug resistance in under-five children. To enhance and support our current findings, further research using molecular techniques is needed to identify the resistant and virulent genes of the bacterial isolates.Keywords: Campylobacter species, drug susceptibility, gastroenteritis, Mekelle city, prevalence, risk factors, under-five children

Preservation of fish as diet ingredient is challenging in many tropical regions due to poor socioeconomic conditions and lack of freezing facilities. So, alternative preservation techniques could be viable to address the issue. The present study evaluated the effect of brine salting (15% w/v) prior to drying at different temperatures on the nutrient profiles of tambaqui fish (Colossoma macropomum). Whole fish samples (n = 48; 792 ± 16 g; 8 months old) were grouped into two as brine-salted and non-salted, and treated at seven different drying temperatures of 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60°C for a period of 23 h each. To evaluate the impact of Maillard reaction, reactive lysine was also quantified. Drying temperature had no effect on the evaluated macro- and micro-nutrients of tambaqui fish (P > 0.05) while brining reduced the overall protein concentration by 6% (58.8 to 55.4 g/100 g DM; P = 0.004). Brining significantly reduced many amino acids: taurine by 56% (7.1 to 3.1 g/kg; P < 0.001), methionine 17% (14.7 to 12.1 g/kg; P < 0.001), cysteine 11% (5.1 to 4.4 g/kg, P = 0.016), and reactive lysine 11% (52.0 to 46.4 g/kg; P = 0.004). However, alanine, arginine, and serine were not affected by brining (P > 0.05). Brining also reduced the concentrations of Se by 14% (149 to 128 μg/kg DM; P = 0.020), iodine 38% (604 to 373 μg/kg DM; P = 0.020), K 42% (9.71 to 5.61 g/kg DM; P < 0.001) and Mg 18% (1.32 to 1.10 g/kg DM; P = < 0.001) versus an anticipated vast increase in Na by 744% (2.70 to 22.90 g/kg DM; P < 0.001) and ash 28% (12.4 to 16.0 g/100g DM; P < 0.001) concentration. Neither brining nor drying temperature induced changes in % lysine reactivity and fat content of tambaqui fish (P > 0.05). Agreeably, results of multivariate analysis showed a negative association between brining, Na, and ash on one side of the component and most other nutrients on the other component. In conclusion, drying without brining may better preserve the nutritive value of tambaqui fish. However, as a practical remark to the industry sector, it is recommended that the final product may further evaluated for any pathogen of economic or public health importance., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Mebratu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

For a long time, co-products of food processing have been used in animal feed, but far less in fish because of their assumed inability to cope with high-fiber diets. Research on feeding co-products to fish species that naturally consume fibrous diets are yet lacking. We here evaluated the impact of sugar beet pulp in the diet of tambaquí on nutrient metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammation, and intestinal histomorphometry. A total of 18 tambaquí fish (1616 ± 107 g; 2 years old) were randomly divided over 6 similar tanks with 3 fish per tank and randomly attributed to one of the six dietary treatments 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 % beet pulp addition and reared for 8 weeks. Water quality parameters (pH, NH 3 -N, EC, TDS, DO, and temperature) were assessed and recorded twice a week for each tank. A quadratic increase in intestinal villus length, paravilli and absorptive surface were observed with beet pulp addition. Ammonia and pH as quality indicators were significantly changing with beet pulp addition. A higher supply of glucogenic substrate to the citric acid cycle was noticed with beet pulp addition due to the positive correlation with blood propionylcarnitine: acetylcarnitine ratio while there was no effect on ketone body synthesis as measured through the 3-hydroxybutyrylcarnitine: acetylcarnitine ratio. No pronounced change of serum and whole fish histamine and lowered concentrations of serum malondialdehyde were observed with beet pulp addition. In conclusion, beet pulp induced a marked increase in intestinal villus architecture without signs of inflammation or oxidative stress. Large-scale studies need to clarify if these features lead to improved growth performance but this work opens options for further study. The non-linear pattern of some blood components with increasing beet pulp may call for future optimal dosing and feed form of beet pulp together., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Authors.)

The present study evaluated the metabolic and functional effects of adding garra meal to a broiler chicken diet. Three hundred twenty Sasso-breed day-old chicks were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments with either 0, 10, 20 or 30% garra meal added on top of formulated starter and grower basal diets. The experiment lasted for 42 days. Feed intake and body weight gain increased at the starter and grower phases of broilers with garra meal addition (P < 0.05). Broiler chickens fed 30% garra meal were more efficient in converting feed to body weight and yielded the highest carcass weight (P < 0.05). Crude protein ileal digestibility coefficient was higher with 20% (76.2%), and crude fat with 20 (92.1) and 30% (92.6%) garra meal receiving groups (P < 0.05). The increase in individual and total esterified carnitine concentrations in dried blood spots demonstrated the elevated metabolic rate with garra meal addition (P < 0.05). A better supply of glucogenic substrate to the citric acid cycle was seen with garra meal addition due to the increase of propionylcarnitine to acetylcarnitine ratio (P < 0.05) without any apparent effect on ketogenesis in terms of serum 3-hydroxybutyrylcarnitine to acetylcarnitine ratio. Yet, it likely showed that part of the amino acids from garra meal were used as glucogenic substrate (P < 0.05). Histomorphometry data showed 20% garra meal addition elevated villus height, crypt depth and their ratio in the proximal parts of the small intestine (duodenum and jejunum) with the opposite results observed in the more distal part (ileum) with the highest for the control group (P < 0.05). It can be concluded that garra meal improved broiler performance when added to a plant-based diet and only few parameters warranted for caution when using more up to 30% garra meal addition. Beyond growth performance, garra meal generated a shift to a more efficient digestion, absorption and nutrient metabolism., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) in the veterinary domain are joint approaches in which public veterinary services and private actors such as private veterinarians, producers' associations, or private companies work together to address complex animal health challenges. They are implemented worldwide and can help to strengthen the capacities of veterinary services, but few have been evaluated. None of the evaluations developed in the veterinary domain explicitly addressed PPPs, their complex program design, their evolving governance, and coordination system, and their impacts. This work represents the first application of the participatory impact pathway methodology for the evaluation of a PPP in the veterinary domain. The PPP evaluated aimed at developing the poultry sector in Ethiopia and improving poultry health service coverage, particularly in remote areas. The combination of semi-structured interviews ( n = 64) and collective reflection during three workshops ( n participants = 26, 48, 18), captured the viewpoints of public and private partners, actors who influenced the partnership, and actors impacted by it. The context of the PPP was analyzed, and the causal relationships between the PPP and its impacts were investigated. This work showed that collaboration between the public and private sector occurred at several administrative levels. The actors considered a variety of impacts, on the economy, business, trust, and health, which were then measured through different indicators. The actors also identified the added value of the PPP to enrich those impacts. The participatory impact pathway methodology helped to strengthen the engagement of actors in the PPP and to formulate recommendations at the policy level to favor positive results. This case study represents a milestone in building a participatory evaluation framework of PPP in the veterinary domain., Competing Interests: FT and UD were employed by Ethiochicken at the time of the study. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 N'Guessan, Poupaud, Dieuzy-Labaye, Asfaw, Wieland, Tesfu, Daniel, Tulayakul and Peyre.)

Currently, there is a need for more and better poultry health services in Ethiopia. However, nationwide data showing the weaknesses of poultry health services are scanty. Hence, availability of diagnostic, vaccination, and clinical services for poultry was assessed. Focus group discussions and household questionnaire survey were conducted with poultry keepers in 10 districts. Lack of poultry health experts, clinical services, drugs, vaccination, and knowledge and skills were identified as top five key findings. In total, 31.6% of respondents reported availability of poultry diagnosis service. Having flock size of 11-20 chickens had higher probabilities of accessing better diagnosis service (AOR = 2.77; 95% CI: 1.12-3.64). Access to diagnosis was directly linked with the availability of veterinary clinics in their localities (AOR = 2.65; 95% CI: 1.16-6.63). Moreover, low access to treatment services (22.98%) was reported and traditional remedies with priority index of 0.68 were reported to be the most commonly used. Chicken flocks with a history of disease occurrence were more likely to have a decision to go for modern treatment services (AOR = 4.26; 95% CI: 2.28-7.95). Only 35.7% of chicken keepers had their flocks vaccinated, and this was irregularly and randomly given, mainly against Newcastle disease. Only 52.9% of them were vaccinated by trained animal health experts. Chicken flocks with availability of veterinary clinics within 5 km were more likely (AOR = 1.62; 95% CI: 1.03-2.54) to have access to vaccination services. Only 53.0% of the chicken flocks had availability of clinics and chicken flocks in Tigray (AOR = 2.15; 95% CI: 1.03- 4.52) and Oromia (AOR = 5.74; 95%CI: 2.51-13.10) had better availability of clinics. Chicken flocks found in Bako district were less likely (AOR = 0.41; 95% CI: 0.18-0.92). The low availability of diagnostic, vaccination, and clinical services shows that poultry health services in Ethiopia have not received attention despite its top national agenda. Hence, the existing low poultry health services need to be solved through public-private partnership, producing adequate poultry health experts, availing vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics in the local markets., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Poultry production contributes significantly to the livelihoods of Ethiopian farmers and to the national economy although it is hampered by different factors, including poultry diseases. There is scarcity of published evidences on the occurrence and impacts of poultry diseases although such evidences are important for policy makers in designing appropriate interventions. A total of 595 households were interviewed and 11 FGDs were conducted to collect data on the occurrence of diseases and the number of dead chickens in the last 12 months. Hence, respiratory diseases, sudden death, and eye-face-head diseases were mentioned in all of the FGDs as the most frequently occurring disease in the districts. Of households interviewed, 86.1% reported poultry disease occurrence in the last 12 months, and gastrointestinal, eye-face-head, and neurological diseases were identified to be the top three ranked diseases of chickens in the districts. Flocks with access to diagnostic services (Adj. OR = 4.16; P = 0.004) and/or access to animal health providers (Adj. OR = 10.50; P = 0.001) were more likely to report disease occurrence. In the studied population, the diseases resulted in deaths of 2219 chickens valued at 352,219.5 Birr (11,740.65 USD) and a mean crude mortality of 31.87%. Female-lead households (mean difference = 5.95%; P = 0.018) and multiple age units present on the farm (mean difference = 20.92%; P = < 0.000) had higher chicken mortality. Similarly, higher mortality was reported in flocks without access to diagnosis (mean difference = 9.97%; P = < 0.000) and vaccination (mean difference = 12.34%; P = < 0.000) services. The high occurrence of disease and mortalities might be explained by a lack of an organized poultry health service delivery system in the country. Therefore, a carefully designed health service delivery system addressing needs of poultry producers, supported by relevant policy and corresponding strategies, is recommended to address the indicated challenges. Moreover, private health providers with well-defined roles need to be engaged to successfully and sustainably solve the poultry disease problems.