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Dermatophilosis is a contagious disease of high economic importance. The study assessed knowledge/awareness and clinical burden of and mitigation measures practised against clinical bovine dermatophilosis in pastoral herds of North-Central Nigeria and associated socio-cultural factors that predisposed to its occurrence in herds. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between October 2015 and September 2016. Questionnaires were administered on pastoralists and clinical assessment of cattle with gross pathological lesions indicative of dermatophilosis conducted. Associated economic impact was estimated. All 384 selected pastoralists participated in the survey. The majorities of nomadic (97.4%) and sedentary (68.2%) pastoralists significantly ( p < 0.05) reported to have heard about dermatophilosis. Majorities of the sedentary (91.7%) and nomadic (97.4%) pastoralists mentioned the use antibiotics to manage the disease. Pastoralists in age group 70-79 years were more likely (OR 15.22; 95% CI 4.69, 49.34) to possess satisfactory knowledge about the disease. Culture of giving out cattle as gift or payment for dowry was more likely (OR 28.56; 95% CI 15.64, 52.12) to influence dermatophilosis occurrence in herds. Overall clinical dermatophilosis burden was 3.6% (95% CI 3.46, 3.80) and the annual economic impact was estimated at 908,463.9 USD. This study has given an idea to the status of pastoralists' levels of awareness about dermatophilosis in Nigeria, which can be harnessed by policy makers to develop its mitigation measures. Significant influence of pastoralists' socio-cultural activities on dermatophilosis occurrence in herds was identified. Surveillance and control programmes towards dermatophilosis that take these factors into consideration will be beneficial to the herders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Huambo, Angola, there is little knowledge about bovine dermatophilosis and its risk of occurrence, which are crucial aspects to design a better prevention and control strategy. The aim of this study was to determine the behavior of bovine dermatophilosis and to identify factors and risk areas in Huambo, Angola. Based on data from the Veterinary Authority, a longitudinal, retrospective and descriptive study on the occurrence and spatiotemporal distribution of the disease was carried out 2010 to 2014. In the period, 876 cases were reported distributed in 87 outbreaks. The level of precipitation had a higher positive correlation (0,525) with the occurrence of cases two months later, while the odds ratio for occurrence of rainy season cases, compared todry season, was between three and 14 times more likely. According to the exposed bovine population, the municipalities with the highest risk of occurrence were Bailundo and Tchicala-Tcholoanga. However, a large area east of the province, which brought together significantly low rates of occurrence to six contiguous municipalities (Tchindjenje, Ukuma, Longonjo, Ecunha, Londuimbale, Caala), demands future studies to clarify the causes. The moderate correlation of the rainfall level, with the occurrence of dermatophylosis two months later, presents a potential for health alert and a reinforcement of preventive control measures. This advantage is further justified by the high strength of association found in the present study for the occurrence of dermatophilosis in the rainy season in Huambo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A participatory epidemiological study was conducted to identify and prioritize constraints to livestock health and production on smallholder farms in Sanyati and Gokwe districts of Zimbabwe. Questionnaires were administered to 294 randomly selected livestock owners across the two districts. Livestock diseases (29% of the respondents), high cost of drugs (18.21%), weak veterinary extension (15.18%), inadequate grazing (13.60%), inadequate water (13.54%), and livestock thefts (10.44%) were the major livestock health and production constraints identified. The number of diseases reported varied (P <0.05) with livestock species and nature of causative agent. Out of the 36 diseases mentioned by farmers, 50%, 22.2%, 19.4%, 5.5% and 2.8% were diseases of cattle, sheep and goats, domestic chicken, donkeys, and guinea fowls, respectively. Seven (19.4%) of the 36 diseases including rabies and foot and mouth disease were those listed by the OIE. Thirty-four percent of the respondents rated bovine dermatophilosis as the most important livestock disease. Respondents rated, in descending order, other diseases including tick borne diseases (21%); a previously unreported disease, “Magwiriri” or “Ganda renzou” in vernacular (14%); mastitis (11%); parafilariosis (11%); and blackleg (9%). Cattle skin samples from “Magwiriri” cases had Besnoitia besnoiti parasites. Overall, this study revealed factors and diseases that limit livestock production in Zimbabwe and are of global concern; in addition, the study showed that the skin diseases, bovine dermatophilosis and besnoitiosis, have recently emerged and appear to be spreading, likely a consequence of ectoparasite control demise in smallholder farming areas of Zimbabwe over the last 15 years. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract Bovine dermatophilosis is a severe skin infection of tropical ruminants inducing a severe loss in productivity and a 15% mortality rate. This disease is caused by the actinomycete bacterium Dermatophilus congolensis associated with the tick Amblyomma variegatum. Currently there are no prospects for a vaccine, and acaricide or antibiotic control is hampered by the development of chemoresistance. Animal breeders have observed that dermatophilosis susceptibility seems to be determined genetically, and we previously identified a BoLA-DRB3-DQB class II haplotype marker for high (R2 = 0.96) susceptibility to the disease. With this marker, we developed a successful eugenic selection procedure for zebu Brahman cattle in Martinique (FWI). Over a period of five years, a marked reduction in disease prevalence, from 0.76 to 0.02 was achieved, and this low level has been maintained over the last two years. The selection procedure, based on a genetic marker system targeting the highly polymorphic BoLA locus, eliminates only those individuals which are at the highest risk of contracting the disease. In the present work, we discuss the properties of this system, including the "heterozygote advantage" and the "frequency dependence" theories, and examine their involvement in the biological mechanisms at the host/pathogen interface. We speculate on the exact role of the MHC molecules in the control of the disease, how the natural selection pressure imposed by the pathogens selectively maintains MHC diversity, and how our results can be practically applied for integrated control of dermatophilosis in developing countries.