Volume 64 (2020): Issue 4 (December 2020)

Piroplasmosis is a tick-borne haemolytic disease caused by different species of the Babesia and Theileria genera. Data on the prevalence of bovine piroplasms and their genetic diversity are scanty in Nigeria. Hence, this study reported the detection of some piroplasms in the blood of cattle in Abeokuta, Nigeria by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Blood samples were collected from 252 cattle and subjected to DNA extraction followed by PCR amplification of the partial region of 18S rRNA of the haemoprotozoans. Selected positive amplicons were unidirectionally sequenced and compared to the reference sequences from the Genbank. A total of 220 (87.3 %) cattle were positive for Theileria velifera and/or Babesia bigemina. The T. velifera was detected only in 163 (64.7 %) cattle, while 7 (2.8 %) cattle had a single infection with B. bigemina. Fifty cattle (19.8 %) had mixed infections with both parasites. There were no significant differences in piroplasm infections between the ages of cattle for both parasites. There were no significant differences in infection rates between the sexes for T. velifera, while the males had a significantly higher (P < 0.05) rate of infection for B. bigemina than the female cattle. The molecular detection of Babesia and Theileria species of cattle are reported for the first time in cattle in Abeokuta, Nigeria. This study, which confirmed the endemic nature of the parasites in cattle in the study area, stresses their importance in livestock health and production in Nigeria.

Equine theileriosis, an apicomplexan debilitating tick-borne parasitic disease of horses has caused considerable havoc to equine production all over the world. There is a dearth of information on the molecular characteristic of the parasites, Theileria equi Laveran, 1901, in Nigeria. Thus, in this study microscopy techniques and PCR were used to detect the T. equi of horses in Ogun, Oyo and Lagos States of Nigeria. We also characterized the partial region of 18S ribosomal RNA gene by sequencing and sequences analysis. One hundred and two horses consisting of Argentine 34 (33.3 %), Sudanese 21 (20.6 %) and local breeds 47 (46.1 %) including 2 females and 100 males were randomly sampled from the Polo Clubs in Ibadan, Lagos and from privately owned horse stables in Abeokuta. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein, thin smears were prepared and stained with a field stain. The DNA was extracted from the blood and a partial region of the 18S ribosomal RNA gene was amplified. The amplified products were sequenced unidirectionally and subjected to phylogenetic analysis with those sequences obtained from the Gen-Bank. Of the 102 horses tested, 12 (11.7 %) were positive for T. equi by microscopy which included 9 (19.1 %) local breeds, 2 (5.8 %) Argentine breed and 1 (4.8 %) Sudanese breed. In contrast, 7 (6.8 %) were positive by the PCR method; out of which 5 (10.6 %) of these samples were from the local breed of horses while the remaining 2 (5.8 %) were from the Argentine breed. The Packed Cell Volume (PCV) of the infected and non-infected horses did not show any significant (P < 0.05) difference. The sequences lengths obtained were 311 bp and they had 97.43—98.07 % homologies with available sequences in the GenBank. The phylogenetic analysis of the sequences suggested that the strain of T. equi detected in the study area formed a new genotype different from the established genotypes around the world. In conclusion, the prevalence of T. equi was very low in the study area and one strain of the parasite may be in circulation among the studied horses.

Anaplasmosis is a vector-borne, infectious and non-contagious disease. The disease is caused by various pathogens of the genus Anaplasma. The different species cause different types of anaplasmosis depending on which cells that are infected in the mammalian host. Anaplasmosis has a wide host range, including humans, and it is distributed worldwide. The zoonotic potential of some species is of great importance in regards to public health concerns. This review presents information about anaplasmosis in animals and its prevalence in Europe, and other countries in the world.

This study was carried out to examine the comparative effects of coconut oil (CO), avocado oil (AO), and melon seed oil (MSO) on the growth performance, blood, biochemical, hematological parameters, and total microbial loads of Noiler birds. A total of 120 Noiler birds with an average weight of 50.3 ± 0.13 g were randomized into four treatment groups with 3 replications (10 per pen) for six weeks of fattening. Weekly body weight gain and daily feed intake of the birds were recorded for six weeks, after which average weight gain and feed conversion ratios were calculated. At the end of the feeding trials, blood samples were collected for biochemical and hematological parameter assessments, and the digesta from the colon and ileum were collected for their intestinal total microbial load analysis. The average weight gains and feed conversion ratios (FCR) of the birds supplemented with CO (1229.40 ± 15.00) and MSO (1232.66 ± 43.18) were observed to be significantly higher (P < 0.05), compared to the birds supplemented with AO (1110.73 ± 18.29) and the birds fed feed only (1034.79 ± 2.04) having the least weight gained. The biochemical parameters of the birds across the treatment were not significantly different (P > 0.05). White blood cells, packed cell volume, red blood cells and lymphocytes were significantly higher in the CO group compared to the birds supplemented with the avocado oil and melon seed oil. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the weight of the spleen, bursa and gall bladder among the birds. The Lactobacillus spp. in the colon of birds supplemented with coconut oil (6.43 ± 0.56) and melon oil (6.25 ± 0.65) were significantly higher. It can be concluded that coconut oil and melon seed oil have the potential to serve as growth promoters for chicken production.

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of replacing soybean meal (SBM) with treated rape-seed meal (tRSM) on the growth performance, blood mineral levels and fatty acid composition of back fat in growing-finishing pigs. A total of 12 crossbred pigs (Slovakian White × Landrace) with an initial live weight of 40.82 ± 2.69 kg were divided into two dietary treatments. The experimental period lasted 84 days; 38 days in the growing period and 46 days in the finishing period. The dietary treatments were as follows: control, a SBM-based diet (growing and finishing), and experimental, a treated RSM-based diet (growing and finishing). The rapeseed meal was treated with a product that neutralizes the negative physiological effects of anti-nutritive glucosinolates contained in rapeseed products for livestock feeding. Our analysis showed minor, no significant negative effects of tRSM on live weight, average daily gain and feed conversion ratio. Replacing SBM with tRSM had no significant effects on the proportion of the total saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids of back fat samples, as well as concentrations of analysed serum minerals except zinc level. In conclusion, the inclusion of 25 % and 18 % of treated RSM in growing and finishing pig diets had no negative effects on the growth performance, blood mineral profile or fatty acid composition of back fat.

The current global climate warming trend leads to a shift in animal-habitats northwards. According to the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute, summer 2018 was extremely hot and long throughout Slovakia. This was probably the fact that resulted in the detection of the presence of Megaselia spp. (Diptera: Phoridae) in one honeybee colony at the University apiary located in Rozhanovce (48° 46’ 27.24″ N; 21° 22’ 26.01″ E; eastern Slovakia). The first warning signal after opening the hive was the changed odour. During closer inspection, there were observed small parasitoid phorid larvae that emerged from the sealed bee brood; further examination revealed that the parasitized bee larvae and pupae contained emptied body cavities. Vice-versa, parasitisation was not detected in adult honey bees. Our knowledge of Diptera being responsible for parasitizing (even facultative) the honey bee (Apis mellifera) is still incomplete and needs to be investigated further in more details.

Twenty dairy cows with left abomasal displacement were used to investigate the effects of vitamin E and selenium treatment on blood cortisol in dairy cows stressed by omentopexy. The cows were randomly divided into two groups. Ten hours before surgery 6 g of DL-α-tocopheryl acetate (6 mg.kg⁻¹) and 67 mg of natrium selenite (0.1 mg.kg⁻¹) in a volume of 40 ml were administered subcutaneously to 10 cows; the control animals (n = 10) received an equivalent volume of injectable water (40 ml). The injection of vitamin E and selenium produced a rapid rise (P < 0.05) in blood α-tocopherol and selenium concentrations. The serum vitamin E increased several times ten hours after vitamin E and Se injection and raised continuously to the highest average concentration of 21.6 mg.l⁻¹ at hour 24 after the surgery. The highest selenium concentration was seen ten hours after selenium administration with holding the increased concentrations in comparison to initial ones during the whole study. Serum cortisol increased in both groups after surgery. The highest cortisol concentrations were reached at one hour after surgery in the experimental and control group (56.7 ± 28.8 and 65.3 ± 26.1 μg.l⁻¹, respectively). A return to the levels similar to the initial ones was recognized 24 hours after the surgery. The ANOVA revealed a significant effect of vitamin E and selenium injection on serum cortisol (P < 0.05). In conclusion, we have demonstrated that abdominal surgery resulted in typical stress changes with a weaker cortisol response to the abdominal surgery in animals treated with vitamin E and selenium.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen incriminated in causing multiple disease conditions in humans and livestock. Studies have shown relationships between livestock rearing and increased MRSA colonization risk among farm workers, and also suggest that livestock may serves as reservoirs of the bacteria and could also infect humans via close contact and consumption of contaminated animal products. The aim of this study was to investigate if practicing veterinarians with significant livestock contacts are at risk for MRSA colonization. Therefore, a non-randomized survey was conducted to establish the presence of MRSA among veterinarians practicing in Kebbi State Nigeria, using both cultural characteristics and molecular detection of the resistant gene (mecA). Forty-one (41) nasal swabs were aseptically collected. The detection rate of MRSA in the veterinarians was 14.6 %. The study revealed a high occurrence rate of MRSA among veterinarians in the study area. The relatively high prevalence recorded among veterinarians in this study could be attributed to the poor understanding of MRSA as a disease, its mode of transmission and its status in the country which have contributed immensely to the little/no awareness of MRSA among veterinarians and hence making it favourable for the bacteria (MRSA) to spread.

In order to meet the increasing protein and income demand in Africa due to the rapid population growth, wildlife, such as the African grasscutter, is currently bred and domesticated as microlivestock. This study is one of the series on the brain morphology of this very large rodent, aimed at providing information that is lacking in the literature. Here, the gross anatomy of the cerebrum and brainstem in nine adult African grasscutters is described. The cerebral cortex was smooth, devoid of gyri and sulci, thus, placing the rodent in the lissencephalic group of mammals. However, blood vessels on the cortex created arterial and venous impressions. The cortex was asymmetrically-tapered oval in shape. The rostral and caudal colliculi were exposed through the cerebral transverse fissure. The rostro-caudal extent of the corpus callosum was from the mid-point of the frontal and parietal lobes, to a point just rostral to the occipital lobe. The rostral colliculi were grossly smaller than the caudal colliculi. The occulomotor and trochlear nerves emerged from the ventral midbrain, rostral to the pons. The pons was exceptionally large; it was pre-trigeminal. On either side of the ventral median fissure of the medulla oblongata were conspicuous pyramids. The trapezoid bodies were also conspicuous. These, and other findings, will be useful in future phylogenetic comparison of rodent brain morphology.

Aging consists of a physiological decline of an organism’s functional activity. During the aging process, the structural and functional changes of the retina can be observed. In most cases, progressive vision loss occurs due to the age related changes of the anterior segment. Retinal diseases, characteristic for senior dogs are: retinal detachment, hypertensive chorioretinopathy, sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome (SARDS), progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), glaucoma, retinopathy, cystoid degeneration and neoplasms. The examination of the retina in senior dogs is based on: ophthalmoscopic examination, electroretinography, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (AD-OCT) and if necessary, histopathological examinations. Comprehensive knowledge regarding the senior dog’s health, significantly increases their quality of life.