Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) infesting dogs in Nigeria: epidemiological and public health implications.

Ticks are haematophagous arthropods that exert direct and indirect effects on their hosts. Their global importance as reservoirs and vectors of diseases of veterinary and public health importance is well recognized. However, the level of understanding of their role in disease epidemiology varies from one country to the other based on available data. Information on ticks infesting dogs across Nigeria and the public health significance is scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to provide information on ixodid ticks infesting dogs in Nigeria. Ticks were collected from 608 owned dogs presented to veterinary clinics and hospitals in 10 out of 36 states of Nigeria over a 14-month period and identified using taxonomic descriptions and morphological keys. In all, 1196 ticks belonging to three genera were identified. Rhipicephalus (including the subgenus Boophilus) ticks were collected from dogs from all the states surveyed and accounted for 95.2% of the ticks collected, followed by Haemaphysalis (3.7%) and Amblyomma species (1.2%). The brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato was the only tick identified in all the climatic zones of Nigeria. There is a statistically significant association between tick infection rate and rainy season, female animals, local and cross breed against exotic animals, total lack of control practice by dog owners, frequency of the control and with traditional methods of tick control but not the age of the dogs. The epidemiological and public health implications of these findings were discussed.

A pilot study of acute phase proteins as indicators of bovine mastitis caused by different pathogens.

This study analysed three acute phase proteins in milk from natural cases of bovine mastitis and compared their profiles across different pathogens causing the infection. Their ability to differentiate subclinical and clinical mastitis from normal (uninfected) milk samples was also examined. Samples from various dairy farms across Scotland submitted to the Veterinary Diagnostic Services unit of the University of Glasgow were used for this study. They were subjected to microbiological examination for mastitis pathogens, evaluation of somatic cell counts and analyses by ELISAs for haptoglobin, C-reactive protein and mammary associated serum amyloid A3. Each acute phase protein (APP) was compared across pathogens and form of mastitis. Significant differences (P = 0.000) were observed for each APP between causative pathogen and form of mastitis. There were significant correlations between the pathogen and the form of mastitis and the 3 APP showed similar profile for the different pathogen type and forms of mastitis. It can be concluded that the aetiological pathogen of mastitis to a large extent influences the clinical form of the disease, this, ultimately being reflected in the degree and course of secretions of the acute phase proteins; Hp, M-SAA3 and CRP into milk during mastitis. Variations of which, show correspondent patterns with related pathogen/form-of-mastitis.

Unilateral cryptorchidism in Nigerian sahel bucks / Criptorquidia unilateral en cabras sahel nigerianas

Out of 1608 Nigerian Sahel male goats (bucks) examined for cryptorchidism in an abattoir, 9 (0.6 percent) had right unilateral cryptorchidism. The coat colour-specific prevalence was highest among the brown bucks (2.1 percent); and was 0.8 percent, 0.6 percent, and 0.3 percent among black, white, back-and-white bucks, respectively. The condition was not found among bucks with brown-and-black, brown-and-white, and multiple coat colours. The right and left testes of normal bucks and the descended testes of cryptorchid bucks had comparable gross testicular measurements, but the retained cryptorchid testes were smaller in size. The estimates of the testicular measurements showed that testicular weights (with the entire epididymes), peripheral longitudinal lengths and mid-circumferences of the cryptorchids were reduced by 5.8-6.5, 1.8-1.9, and 1.7-1.8 folds, respectively, when compared with the normal values; an indication that reduction in weight was the most remarkable index of change in testicular size. In 2 cases (20 percent), cryptorchid testes were at a subcutaneous location, embedded in a subcutaneous fascia in the ventral perineal region, while in the other 8 cryptorchid cases (80 percent), the testes were in the abdomen. Histopathological changes in the cryptorchid testes included hypoplasia, degeneration, interstitial non-suppurative inflammation and fibroplasia. This is the first report of cryptorchidism in the Sahel goat and the first evidence that cryptorchid testis may be located subcutaneously in the goat.

De las 1608 cabras Sahel Nigerianas macho examinadas para criptorquidismo en un matadero, 9 (0,6 por ciento) tuvieron criptorquidia unilateral derecha. La prevalencia en relación al color específico del pelaje fue mayor entre las cabras marrones (2,1 por ciento), y fue de 0,8 por ciento, 0,6 por ciento y 0,3 por ciento entre cabras de color negro, blanco, y blanco/negro respectivamente. La condición no fue encontrada entre las cabras con pelajes marrón y negro, marrón y blanco, y pelajes de múltiples colores. Los testículos derecho e izquierdo de las cabras normales y los testículos descendentes de las cabras con criptorquídia tuvieron mediciones testiculares comparables, pero los testículos retenidos por criptorquídia fueron de menor tamaño. Las estimaciones de las mediciones testiculares mostraron que los pesos testiculares (con todo el epidídimo), la longitud periférica y la circunferencia media de las criptorquídicas fueron reducidas por 5,8-6,5; 1,8-1,9 y 1,7-1,8 pliegues respectivamente, en comparación con el los valores normales; una indicación que la reducción de peso fue el índice de cambio más notable en el tamaño testicular. En 2 casos (20 por ciento), los testículos criptorquídicos se encontraron en una ubicación subcutánea, inmersos en una fascia subcutánea en la región perineal ventral, mientras que en los otros 8 casos criptorquídicos (80 por ciento), los testículos fueron encontrados en el abdomen. Cambios histopatológicos en los testículos criptorquídicos incluyeron hipoplasia, degeneración, inflamación intersticial no supurativa y fibroplasia. Este es el primer informe de criptorquidia en cabras Sahel y la primera evidencia de que los testículos criptorquídicos pueden ser localizados por vía subcutánea en la cabra.