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Abstract This study evaluated the level of risk practices and awareness of leptospirosis among residents of Zaria, Nigeria. A pre-tested questionnaires were administered via face-to-face interview to 100 residents. The data was analyzed using chi-square and multivariate analysis to identify risk factors for leptospirosis. The demography showed that the majority of the respondents were male, aged 21–40 years, and majorly crop farmers. The risk factors identified showed that males were 4.14 times more likely to be affected by leptospirosis (OR 4.14, 95% CI [1.93–5.37], p = 0.02) and the source of animal’s water was 5.56 times more likely to be contaminated by Leptospira spp. (OR 4.14, 95% CI [2.88–8.03], p = 0.01) and these relationships were significant. The majority of respondents were not aware of the disease (OR 1.87, 95% CI [1.22–4.57], p = 0.01) with 78% of the respondents not sure of which of the animal species leptospirosis affected (OR 1.67, 95% CI [1.07–2.62], p = 0.02). This study has demonstrated the existence of risk behaviors, and paucity of knowledge about leptospirosis in the study area. It is therefore recommended to organize an enlightenment program and the need for protective clothing for individuals occupationally at risk of infection by Leptospira spp.

Sixty large white breed piglets aged between 28 and 35 days were randomly assigned to five replicate groups (Bu1, Bu2, Bd1, Bd2, Bs1, Bs2, Lc1, Lc2, C1, and C2) with six pigs per group. The Bu1 and Bu2 groups were fed with wet and dry basal diets, respectively, supplemented with 0.8 mL (6 x 106 colony-forming units (CFU)) of Lactobacillus isolated from burukutu (beverage made from sorghum grains). The Pg1 and Pg2 groups were fed with wet and dry basal diets, respectively, supplemented with 0.8 mL (6 x 106 CFU/mL) of Lactobacillus isolated from pig hindguts. The Bs1 and Bs2 groups were fed with wet and dry basal diets supplemented with 0.8 mL (6 x 106 CFU/mL) of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus, respectively. The Lc1 and Lc2 groups were fed with wet and dry basal diets supplemented with 0.8 mL (6 x 106 CFU/mL) of Lactobacillus acidophilus, respectively. Meanwhile, the C1 and C2 groups as the control groups were fed with wet and dry basal diets, respectively. The treatment and control animals were infected with Escherichia coli at 6 mL (1 x 1010 CFU/mL) orally. Aseptically collected fecal samples from the piglets in each group showed significant bacteriological and pathological differences. This study suggested that Lactobacillus species isolated from burukutu, pig hindguts, and industrial probiotics could inhibit colibacillosis.

Abstract Introduction Globally, the highest burden of bovine and human tuberculosis resides in Africa and Asia. Tuberculosis (TB) is the second leading single infectious killer after severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARSCOV-2). Bovine TB remains a treat to wild and domesticated animals, humans and hinders international trade in endemic countries like Nigeria. We aimed at determining the prevalence of bovine and human tuberculosis, and the spoligotypes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in cattle and humans in Maiduguri. Methods We conducted a cross sectional study on bovine and human tuberculosis in Maiduguri, Borno state. We calculated sample size using the method of Thrusfield. Lesions suggestive of TB from 160 slaughtered cattle were obtained from Maiduguri Central Abattoir. Sputum samples from humans; 82 abattoir workers and 147 suspected TB patients from hospitals/clinics were obtained. Lesions and sputum samples were cultured for the isolation of Mycobacterium spp. Positive cultures were subjected genus typing, deletion analysis and selected isolates were spoligotyped. Data was analysed using SPSS VERSION 16.0. Results Prevalence of 32.5% (52/160) was obtained in cattle. Damboa local government area (LGA), where majority of the infected animals were obtained from had 35.5% bTB prevalence. All categories analysed (breed, age, sex, body conformation and score) had P-values that were not significant (P > 0.05). Sputum culture revealed a prevalence of 3.7% (3/82) from abattoir workers and 12.2% from hospitals/clinics. A significant P-value (0.03) was obtained when positive culture from abattoir and that of hospitals/clinics were compared. Out of the 52 culture positive isolates obtained from cattle, 26 (50%) belonged to M. tuberculosis complex (MTC) and 17/26 (65.4%) were characterized as M. bovis. In humans, 7/12 (58.3%) MTC obtained were characterized as M. tuberculosis. Spoligotyping revealed SB0944 and SB1025 in cattle, while SIT838, SIT61 of LAM10_CAM and SIT1054, SIT46 of Haarlem (H) families were obtained from humans. Conclusions Cattle in Damboa LGA need to be screened for bTB as majority of the infected animals were brought from there. Our findings revealed the presence of SB0944 and SB1025 spoligotypes from cattle in Borno state. We isolated M. tuberculosis strain of the H family mainly domiciled in Europe from humans.

Lumpy Skin disease (LSD) is an economically important disease in cattle caused by the LSD virus (LSDV) of the genus Capripoxvirus, while pseudocowpox (PCP) is a widely distributed zoonotic cattle disease caused by the PCP virus (PCPV) of the genus Parapoxvirus. Though both viral pox infections are reportedly present in Nigeria, similarities in their clinical presentation and limited access to laboratories often lead to misdiagnosis in the field. This study investigated suspected LSD outbreaks in organized and transhumance cattle herds in Nigeria in 2020. A total of 42 scab/skin biopsy samples were collected from 16 outbreaks of suspected LSD in five northern States of Nigeria. The samples were analyzed using a high-resolution multiplex melting (HRM) assay to differentiate poxviruses belonging to Orthopoxvirus, Capripoxvirus, and Parapoxvirus genera. LSDV was characterized using four gene segments, namely the RNA polymerase 30 kDa subunit (RPO30), G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), the extracellular enveloped virus (EEV) glycoprotein and CaPV homolog of the variola virus B22R. Likewise, the partial B2L gene of PCPV was also analyzed. Nineteen samples (45.2%) were positive according to the HRM assay for LSDV, and five (11.9%) were co-infected with LSDV and PCPV. The multiple sequence alignments of the GPCR, EEV, and B22R showed 100% similarity among the Nigerian LSDV samples, unlike the RPO30 phylogeny, which showed two clusters. Some of the Nigerian LSDVs clustered within LSDV SG II were with commonly circulating LSDV field isolates in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, while the remaining Nigerian LSDVs produced a unique sub-group. The B2L sequences of Nigerian PCPVs were 100% identical and clustered within the PCPV group containing cattle/Reindeer isolates, close to PCPVs from Zambia and Botswana. The results show the diversity of Nigerian LSDV strains. This paper also reports the first documented co-infection of LSDV and PCPV in Nigeria.

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a zoonotic disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) that primarily affects cattle, but also other domestic and wild mammals. In Nigeria, abattoir monitoring of gross bTB lesions is the only control method being applied in all animals. This study aims to investigate tubercle bacilli infection in slaughtered cattle found with visible tuberculosis-like lesions. Lesions suggesting bTB were detected in 226 cattle during abattoir monitoring in Zamfara State, Nigeria. Tissue samples collected from the affected carcasses were subjected to Ziehl-Neelsen stain (ZN). Of the 226 carcasses with lesions, 37 (16.4%) were positive by the Ziehl-Neelsen stain (ZN), and MTBC was detected from 34 (91.9%) of the 37 ZN-positive samples. Molecular typing by region of difference (RD) deletion analysis revealed the genotype of Mycobacterium bovis, Mycobacterium caprae and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Infection was most significantly associated with age of the animals (OR = 3.49; CI: 1.29-9.47 [p = 0.002]). The findings indicate a serious threat for health as well as for TB control in Nigeria.

Leptospirosis is a neglected disease of zoonotic importance and rodents have a known role in epidemiology of Leptospira globally. Paucity of information on the prevalence of leptospirosis in wild rats used as games in Zaria, Nigeria informed the study. The study aimed to detect Leptospira interrogans in wild rats in Zaria, Nigeria. A total of 71 wild rats comprising 57 Rattus norvegicus and 14 Cricetomys gambianus were sampled over a period of 3 months (April–June 2019). Fisher exact test was used with confidence interval set at 0.05 to ascertain associations between positive cases and species. Blood was collected from 56 rats and harvested sera screened for Leptospira interrogans antibody using rat IgG competitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA). Following humane euthanasia of rats, 71 samples (62 kidney tissues and 9 urine samples) were collected in sterile labeled tubes and cultured using Ellinghausen Mc-cullough Johnson Harris (EMJH) enrichment and basal medium. Results indicated over all Leptospira spp antibody detection of 73.2 % (41/56) in Rattus norvegicus (60.7 %) and Cricetomys gambianus (12.5 %). No significant difference (P > 0.05) existed for the prevalence of Leptospira interrogans antibody in the species of wild rats. Over all occurrence of Leptospira interrogans were 74.2 % (46/62) in kidneys and 55.6 % (5/9) in urine samples. Based on species of rats, Rattus norvegicus recorded prevalence of 76.9 % (40/52) and 40.0 % (2/5) in kidney and urine samples respectively. Prevalence of 60.0 % (6/10) and 75.0 % (3/4) in kidney and urine samples respectively were recorded for Cricetomys gambianus. There was significant difference (P < 0.05) in the prevalence of Leptospira interrogans in kidney samples of both wild rats. These species of rats could be reservoirs of Leptospira interrogans. The result showed high prevalence of Leptospira spp in the wild rats and the possibility of domestic animals and humans contracting the disease. This study is the first documentation of evidence of pathogenic Leptospira species in wildlife used as games in Zaria, Nigeria.

Children are an Heritage of the Lord...! - Psalms 127: 3 This paper interrogates the phenomenon of the insurgency of Boko Haram with a view to understanding its implication on children. The goal is to explore models for rehabilitating 'wanderer-children' as the phenomenon, coupled with the incidence of out of school children in the Sahel portends great danger for the survival of Nigeria and even the integration thrust of the West African Sub-region. The manuscript argues that Nigerian authorities need to strengthen their 'Complex Emergency' policies otherwise the threat against the region may worsen. In the effort to fashion-out these models, the paper takes a voyage to the nineteenth and early twentieth Centuries, and precisely to the colonial state where it discovered a classical model that if authorities would imbibe, the possibility for resolving the complex question of wanderer-children can be achieved. To weave its perspectives, the study depended on the qualitative research methodology. Finally, the paper recommends that governmental authorities need to combat poverty and reduce the rate of unemployment if the goal of curtailing conflict with its propensity for displacing children is to be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines Boko Haram's activities and gender-based violence in the Lake Chad Basin. The conflict typified by Boko Haram insurgency against regional authorities has been characterised by violent attacks against the civilian population, particularly women. The paper's key objective is to establish the prevalence of gender-based violence (GBV) in the Lake Chad area. This goal is informed by the allegation that the conflict has exposed women to various kinds of gender-related violence, including rape, kidnapping, and forced marriages. The paper will give a snapshot of the origins, ideology, and conflict dynamics. It will apply the hegemonic masculinity theory as a framework for analysing and explaining the GBV in the region. The manuscript depended on the content analysis of historical and contemporary literary materials in the humanities and social science traditions to articulate its perspective. It recommends the contextualisation of relevant conventions that seek women's protection in the Lake Chad conflict. It is expected that this might prompt the region's governments to be more proactive in protecting vulnerable groups and the victims of GBV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]