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The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the death of 7.1 million people worldwide as of 7 July 2024. In Nigeria, the first confirmed case was reported on 27 February 2020, subsequently followed by a nationwide spread of SARS-CoV-2 with morbidity and mortality reaching 267 173 and 3155, respectively, as of 7 July 2024. At the beginning of the pandemic, only a few public health laboratories in Nigeria had the capacity for SARS-CoV-2 molecular diagnosis. The National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), already experienced in influenza diagnosis, responded to the public health challenge for the diagnosis of COVID-19 samples from humans. The feat was possible through the collective utilisation of NVRI human and material resources, including biosafety facilities, equipment, reagents and consumables donated by international partners and collaborators. Within 6 months of the reported COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria, over 33 000 samples were processed in NVRI facilities covering five states. Thereafter, many field and laboratory projects were jointly implemented between NVRI and collaborating sectors including the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), which brought together professionals in the health, veterinary, education and socio-sciences. In addition, One Health grants were secured to enhance surveillance for coronavirus and other zoonoses and build capacity in genomics. Bio-surveillance for coronaviruses and other emerging zoonotic pathogens at the human–animal interface was activated and continued with sample collection and analysis in the laboratory for coronaviruses, Lassa fever virus and Mpox. One Health approach has shown that inter-sectoral and multinational collaboration for diagnosis, research and development in animals, and the environment to better understand pathogen spillover events at the human–animal interface is an important global health priority and pandemic preparedness.

Infectious diseases are responsible for illness, deaths and economic losses in human and animals. The situation is worse in developing countries with limited resources, poor infrastructures and technology necessary for disease prevention and control. Consequently, causative agents of diseases may emerge from animal reservoirs and are transmitted from animals to human as zoonoses or sustained human-to-human transmission may occur. About 60% of infectious diseases are zoonotic and over 75% of emerging and re-emerging diseases in human are acquired from animal hosts. Globally and in Nigeria, zoonotic diseases previously controlled such as yellow fever, Orthopoxvirus (monkey pox virus), Lassa fever, anthrax etc. are re-emerging and new ones like Avian influenza, Ebola, and respiratory coronaviruses (SARS, MERS and 2019-nCoV) are emerging. In addition, the transboundary nature and inter-continental introductions of many of these pathogens threaten the national economy and public health. Other zoonotic diseases like rabies, brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis are intractable due in part to negligence. Hence, the burden of zoonotic diseases in Nigeria is high and unabated despite available preventive vaccination for a disease like rabies. Some of these important zoonoses are discussed in detail in this paper with emphasis on effective control through the application of modern technology for surveillance, early and accurate diagnosis, biosecurity and preventive vaccination. These tools are however insufficiently deployed in Nigeria. It is therefore imperative to prioritise public health policies with focus on research, development and innovations for better impact on human and animal health with sequelae on national transformation.

BackgroundBrucellosis is a world-wide extended zoonosis that causes a grave problem in developing economies. Animal vaccination and diagnosis are essential to control brucellosis, and the need for accurate but also simple and low-cost tests that can be implemented in low-infrastructure laboratories has been emphasized.MethodologyWe evaluated bovine, sheep, goat and swine lateral flow immunochromatography assay kits (LFA), the Rose Bengal test (RBT) and a well-validated protein G indirect ELISA (iELISA) using sera of Brucella culture-positive and unvaccinated brucellosis free livestock. Sera from cattle vaccinated with S19 and RB51 brucellosis vaccines were also tested. Finally, we compared RBT and LFA using sera of white Fulani cattle of unknown bacteriological status from a brucellosis endemic area of Nigeria.Results and conclusionsAlthough differences were not statistically significant, RBT showed the highest values for diagnostic sensitivity/specificity in cattle (LFA, 96.6/98.8; RBT, 98.9/100; and iELISA, 96.6/100) and the iELISA yielded highest values in sheep (LFA, 94.0/100; RBT, 92.0/100; iELISA, 100/100), goats (LFA, 95.7/96.2; RBT, 97.8/100; iELISA, 100/100) and pigs (LFA, 92.3/100; RBT, 92.3/100; iELISA, 100/100). Vaccine S19 administered subcutaneously interfered in all tests but conjunctival application minimized the problem. Although designed not to interfere in serodiagnosis, vaccine RB51 interfered in LFA and iELISA but not in the RBT. We found closely similar apparent prevalence results when testing the Nigerian Fulani cattle by RBT and LFA. Although both RBT and LFA (showing similar diagnostic performance) are suitable for small laboratories in resource-limited areas, RBT has the advantage that a single reagent is useful in all animal species. Considering these advantages, its low cost and that it is also useful for human brucellosis diagnosis, RBT might be a good choice for resource-limited laboratories.

A mixed methods study was undertaken in the Kachia Grazing Reserve of northern Nigeria. Surveys in March, June and October 2011 included focus group discussions, key informant and in-depth household interviews, concerning livelihood practices, animal health, ownership, and productivity. In May 2011, 249 Fulani families fleeing post-election violence entered the reserve with their livestock, increasing the number of households by one third.Despite being settled within a grazing reserve, over half of households sent all their cattle away on seasonal transhumance and another third sent some away. Cattle accounted for 96% of total tropical livestock units (TLU), of which 26% were cattle kept permanently outside the reserve. While all households cited livestock as their main source of income, 90% grew crops and 55% derived income from off-farm activities. A multiple correspondence analysis showed that for each extra member of a household its TLU value increased by 2.0 [95% CI, 1.4-2.7], while for each additional marriage its TLU increased by 15.7 [95% CI, 7.1-24.3]. A strong association was also observed between small herds, small households with only one wife, alongside marked geographical wealth differences within the reserve. New immigrant families had larger household sizes (33) and livestock holdings (122 TLU) than old settlers (22 people and 67 TLU). Prior to the mass immigration, the distribution of TLU per person was unimodal: 41% of households were classified as 'poor' and 27% as 'medium', whereas post-immigration it was bi-modal, with 26% classified as 'very poor' and 28% as 'medium'.While cattle remain the principal source of Fulani income and wealth, the inhabitants of Kachia Grazing Reserve have diversified their livelihood strategies to respond to changing circumstances and stress, especially the limited availability of grazing within the reserve and political insecurity outside, resulting in continued transhumance, the maintenance of smaller livestock holdings and pushing households into poverty.

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, has a large proportion of the world's poor livestock keepers, and is a hotspot for neglected zoonoses. A review of the 127 accessible publications on brucellosis in Nigeria reveals only scant and fragmented evidence on its spatial and temporal distribution in different epidemiological contexts. The few bacteriological studies conducted demonstrate the existence of Brucella abortus in cattle and sheep, but evidence for B. melitensis in small ruminants is dated and unclear. The bulk of the evidence consists of seroprevalence studies, but test standardization and validation are not always adequately described, and misinterpretations exist with regard to sensitivity and/or specificity and ability to identify the infecting Brucella species. Despite this, early studies suggest that although brucellosis was endemic in extensive nomadic systems, seroprevalence was low, and brucellosis was not perceived as a real burden; recent studies, however, may reflect a changing trend. Concerning human brucellosis, no studies have identified the Brucella species and most reports provide only serological evidence of contact with Brucella in the classical risk groups; some suggest brucellosis misdiagnoses as malaria or other febrile conditions. The investigation of a severe outbreak that occurred in the late 1970s describes the emergence of animal and human disease caused by the settling of previously nomadic populations during the Sahelian drought. There appears to be an increasing risk of re-emergence of brucellosis in sub-Saharan Africa, as a result of the co-existence of pastoralist movements and the increase of intensive management resulting from growing urbanization and food demand. Highly contagious zoonoses like brucellosis pose a threat with far-reaching social and political consequences.

1 TABLE Primers and PCR conditions for the amplification of pathogenic Leptospira spp. from bats in Nigeria. Molecular detection and characterization of pathogenic Leptospira species in bats (Chiroptera) roosting in human habitats in Nigeria, West Africa by Joshua Kamani, Shimon Harrus, Reuben A. Ocholi, Irene I. Yague, Patrick G. Nyango, Javier González-Miguel, Nobuo Koizumi published in Zoonoses and Public Health, 00, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1111/zph.12880 Joshua Kamani Parasitology Division, National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), PMB 01 Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria. The bat genus Chaerephon was misspelt as Chaerophon throughout the manuscript as presented in the abstract, table 2, table 4 and in the results section. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Brucellosis is a world-wide extended zoonosis that causes a grave problem in developing economies. Animal vaccination and diagnosis are essential to control brucellosis, and the need for accurate but also simple and low-cost tests that can be implemented in low-infrastructure laboratories has been emphasized. Methodology: We evaluated bovine, sheep, goat and swine lateral flow immunochromatography assay kits (LFA), the Rose Bengal test (RBT) and a well-validated protein G indirect ELISA (iELISA) using sera of Brucella culture-positive and unvaccinated brucellosis free livestock. Sera from cattle vaccinated with S19 and RB51 brucellosis vaccines were also tested. Finally, we compared RBT and LFA using sera of white Fulani cattle of unknown bacteriological status from a brucellosis endemic area of Nigeria. Results and conclusions: Although differences were not statistically significant, RBT showed the highest values for diagnostic sensitivity/specificity in cattle (LFA 96.6/98.8; RBT 98.9/100; and iELISA 96.6/100) and the iELISA yielded highest values in sheep (LFA, 94.0/100; RBT, 92.0/100; iELISA, 100/100), goats (LFA 95.7/96.2; RBT, 97.8/100; iELISA, 100/100) and pigs (LFA, 92.3/100; RBT, 92.3/100; iELISA 100/100). Vaccine S19 administered subcutaneously interfered in all tests but conjunctival application minimized the problem. Although designed not to interfere in serodiagnosis, vaccine RB51 interfered in LFA and iELISA but not in the RBT. We found closely similar apparent prevalence results when testing the Nigerian Fulani cattle by RBT and LFA. Although both RBT and LFA (showing similar diagnostic performance) are suitable for small laboratories in resource-limited areas, RBT has the advantage that a single reagent is useful in all animal species. Considering these advantages, its low cost and that it is also useful for human brucellosis diagnosis, RBT might be a good choice for resource-limited laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While women in pastoralist communities are key stakeholders in the production of milk and dairy products for income generation, they are largely ignored in other areas of development such as health. The need to involve women self-help groups, in pastoralist areas in both animal health and human health development programmes, is essential, particularly given the high incidence of zoonotic diseases in these communities (Maudlin I, Eisler MC and Welburn SC, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 364(1530):2777-2787, 2009). Understanding the process and impact of social networks on livelihoods is essential for any development programme that aims to prevent and control zoonotic diseases. This study examines the roles and responsibilities of women self-help groups in Kachia Grazing Reserve and Bokkos, Jos Plateau, Nigeria. The findings show that groups promoting social, physical and psychological health strongly motivated women's involvement in self-help groups. Self-help activities showed commitment to effect a change in their livelihoods, despite constraining environmental, cultural and social factors. Engagement of women's self-help groups in livestock development programmes offers a powerful instrument for driving forward the One Health practice in pastoralist communities, promoting human, animal and environmental health and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A mixed methods study was undertaken in the Kachia Grazing Reserve of northern Nigeria. Surveys in March, June and October 2011 included focus group discussions, key informant and in-depth household interviews, concerning livelihood practices, animal health, ownership, and productivity. In May 2011, 249 Fulani families fleeing post-election violence entered the reserve with their livestock, increasing the number of households by one third. Results: Despite being settled within a grazing reserve, over half of households sent all their cattle away on seasonal transhumance and another third sent some away. Cattle accounted for 96% of total tropical livestock units (TLU), of which 26% were cattle kept permanently outside the reserve. While all households cited livestock as their main source of income, 90% grew crops and 55% derived income from off-farm activities. A multiple correspondence analysis showed that for each extra member of a household its TLU value increased by 2.0 [95% CI, 1.4–2.7], while for each additional marriage its TLU increased by 15.7 [95% CI, 7.1–24.3]. A strong association was also observed between small herds, small households with only one wife, alongside marked geographical wealth differences within the reserve. New immigrant families had larger household sizes (33) and livestock holdings (122 TLU) than old settlers (22 people and 67 TLU). Prior to the mass immigration, the distribution of TLU per person was unimodal: 41% of households were classified as ‘poor’ and 27% as ‘medium’, whereas post-immigration it was bi-modal, with 26% classified as ‘very poor’ and 28% as ‘medium’. Conclusions: While cattle remain the principal source of Fulani income and wealth, the inhabitants of Kachia Grazing Reserve have diversified their livelihood strategies to respond to changing circumstances and stress, especially the limited availability of grazing within the reserve and political insecurity outside, resulting in continued transhumance, the maintenance of smaller livestock holdings and pushing households into poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, has a large proportion of the world's poor livestock keepers, and is a hotspot for neglected zoonoses. A review of the 127 accessible publications on brucellosis in Nigeria reveals only scant and fragmented evidence on its spatial and temporal distribution in different epidemiological contexts. The few bacteriological studies conducted demonstrate the existence of Brucella abortus in cattle and sheep, but evidence for B. melitensis in small ruminants is dated and unclear. The bulk of the evidence consists of seroprevalence studies, but test standardization and validation are not always adequately described, and misinterpretations exist with regard to sensitivity and/or specificity and ability to identify the infecting Brucella species. Despite this, early studies suggest that although brucellosis was endemic in extensive nomadic systems, seroprevalence was low, and brucellosis was not perceived as a real burden; recent studies, however, may reflect a changing trend. Concerning human brucellosis, no studies have identified the Brucella species and most reports provide only serological evidence of contact with Brucella in the classical risk groups; some suggest brucellosis misdiagnoses as malaria or other febrile conditions. The investigation of a severe outbreak that occurred in the late 1970s describes the emergence of animal and human disease caused by the settling of previously nomadic populations during the Sahelian drought. There appears to be an increasing risk of re-emergence of brucellosis in sub-Saharan Africa, as a result of the co-existence of pastoralist movements and the increase of intensive management resulting from growing urbanization and food demand. Highly contagious zoonoses like brucellosis pose a threat with far-reaching social and political consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Nigeria is the largest cattle-rearing nation in Africa with most animals kept under traditional husbandry practices. While bovine brucellosis does not receive much attention, a relatively high seroprevalence is found in samples submitted for laboratory testing. The aim of the study was to provide serological evidence of brucellosis in cattle from some of the main cattle-rearing states of the country and to validate a simple and rapid field test for the serodiagnosis of bovine brucellosis. Method: Serum samples collected in various states of Nigeria from cattle because of suspicion of brucellosis were investigated in the Rose Bengal plate test, and results were compared with a newly developed rapid field test for the detection of Brucella-specific antibodies. Results: Serological evidence for the presence of brucellosis in cattle was obtained for all states included in the study and a high herd prevalence was observed. The seroprevalence was also high among trade and slaughter animals. Results of a rapid field test for the serodiagnosis of bovine brucellosis correlated well with the Rose Bengal plate test (agreement, 95.7%; kappa value, 0.80). Conclusions: The results indicate that bovine brucellosis is an important veterinarian problem in Nigeria. The easy-to-use and robust field test is most promising for field-based surveillance as it provides an immediate result allowing the prompt instigation of control measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]