Evaluation of oral phytogenic microbeaded Newcastle Disease vaccine delivery in indigenous chicken.

This study describes the evaluation of microbeaded oral vaccine delivery for Newcastle Disease (ND) in village chicken. Microbeads containing vaccine were prepared by ionotropic-gelation technique using aluminum sulfate. Lasota Vaccine strain (2 g) was well mixed with Boswellia caterii gum extract at ratio 1:1. The wet beads were washed twice with distilled water and dried at 37℃ overnight. Microbeads without vaccine were prepared as control. A tablet dissolution machine was used to evaluate peak adhesion time (PAT). Sixty local chickens sourced from a recognized breeder were separated into four groups for in in-vivo evaluation. Group A was administered with the bead-loaded vaccine mixed with their feed, group B had vaccine alone administered in their drinking water, group C had the bead alone mixed with their feed, and group D, which served as negative control received no vaccination against ND nor gum beads.The PAT on both trachea and jejunum was 4 ± 10 hours. Post-vaccination antibody titer revealed higher response in group B than (6.6) in group A (5.3); the micro-beaded vaccine gave delayed but enhanced and prolonged immune response. This noninvasive and easy to administer method may be useful in the prevention of ND outbreaks in backyard poultry production.

An Assessment of Physicochemical characteristics of Awotan dumpsite in Ibadan, South western Nigeria.

Gaseous emission, particulate emission, biological molecules and other harmful substances discharge into the atmosphere from dumpsite environment. The carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) content of the gaseous emission from different platforms and offsets of the Awotan dump site were measured. P Sense CO2 Meter AZ 7755 was used to measure the level of carbon dioxide gas, temperature and relative humidity. K60 Gas detector was used to measure the level of methane (CH4) gas and Pm 2.5. Thermo-scientific MIE pDR 1500 PM monitor was used to measure the particulate matter on the dumpsite. The CO2 levels (697±28.84 - 502±2.19) were above the minimum permissible levels of ASHRAE of 400ppm for all platforms at the dumpsite. CH4 levels range (73.33±3.32 - 18.33±4.27) was above the methane explosive limits (MEL) of 15% for all Platforms, however the level at 25m and 50m offsets (14.83±4.11 - 13.83±2.48) was below the MEL for 75m and 100m offsets. PM2.5 levels were lower in the morning and peaked in the afternoon at Platform 5, 6 and 9 locations with values of 62.76±6.03, 63.9±11.37 and 32.06±3.89 respectively which is not within the WHO minimum permissible limit of 25µg/m3. There was a significant positive correlation between CO2 and CH4 (r=0.7558, p=0.028) but no significant correlation between CO2 and other meteorological parameters (temperature and humidity) (r=-0.1309, p=0.67and r=0.09644, p=0.754). The carbon dioxide and methane content of the gaseous emission from the Awotan dump site are potential health hazard, hence the need for an engineering design that will reduce the quantum of the emission thereby reducing the hazard.

Pathology and immunohistochemical evaluation of lungs of cattle slaughtered at metropolitan abattoirs in Nigeria and Ghana.

There was a dearth of information on pathology and causal agents of bovine pneumonia in West Africa. This cross-sectional study conducted at four major metropolitan abattoirs in Nigeria and Ghana was to evaluate the pathology and to immunohistochemically demonstrates viral and bacterial pathogens of bovine pneumonia in West Africa. Out of the 20,605 cattle lungs examined at post-mortem using standard inspection procedures, 136 samples grossly showed pneumonic lesions and 99 randomly selected lung samples were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin for histopathological and immunohistochemical examination. The overall prevalence of pneumonia was 0.66%, with 0.72% prevalence in Ibadan, Nigeria and 9.68% prevalence in Ghana. Age and breed were observed to be among the predisposing factors to pneumonia in cattle. Histologically, bronchopneumonia (0.65%), broncho-interstitial pneumonia (0.13%), and interstitial pneumonia (0.08%) were the prominent type of pneumonias observed. Immunohistochemically, 0.8% was positive for bovine PI-3, 0.9% for bovine RSV, 1.0% for Mannheimia haemolytica (MH), and 0.6% for Pasteurella multocida (PM). There were a few interactions of pathogens: PI3 and MH (0.01%), RSV and MH (0.01%), PM and MH (0.02%). This was the first study that immunohistochemically demonstrated bacterial and viral antigens in naturally occurring pneumonia in cattle in Nigeria and Ghana.

Haematological changes associated with Newcastle disease vaccination in chickens using gums from Cedrela odorata and Khaya senegalensis as delivery agents.

Our previous ex-vivo and in vivo investigations have established immunopotentiating property of Khaya senegalensis and Cedrela odorata gums; however the safety of the use of this gum combination in chicken has not been described. Hence this study evaluates the haematological profile of chickens vaccinated with Newcastle disease vaccine delivered through the oral and ocular routes using gums from Cedrela odorata and Khaya senegalensis as delivery agents. 252 one-day old chickens were grouped gum-vaccine oral (GVOR), vaccine oral (VOR), gum-vaccine ocular (GVOC), vaccine ocular (VOC), gum oral (GOR), gum ocular (GOC), no-gum-no-vaccine but challenged (NGNV/C), no-gum-no-vaccine unchallenged (NGNV/U). They were vaccinated on days 21 and 42 and challenged day 84. Blood samples were collected before first vaccination and at selected intervals afterwards. Analysis was done using one way ANOVA with P<0.05 considered significant. Packed cell volume, total white cell count, heterocyte-lymphocyte ratios and platelet count varied insignificantly (P>0.05) throughout the period of observation across groups with no observable derangements. Hence, the absence of derangement in haematological indices from this study suggests that the dilution rate recommended from the ex-vivo study is safe for administration of Newcastle disease vaccine in chickens irrespective of the routes of delivery.

Humoral and mucosal immune responses in challenged chickens vaccinated with Infectious bursal disease vaccine using gums from Cedrela odorata and Khaya senegalensis as delivery agents.

The emergence of antigenic variants and very virulent strains of infectious bursa disease virus (IBDV) in vaccinated flocks considerably stimulated research in IBDV vaccine administration. The mucoadhesive and immunopotentials of Cedrela odorata and Khaya senegalensis were explored in vaccine delivery against clinical IBDV in broiler chickens. A total of 400 chicks were successfully brooded and raised from day old for commencement of this experiment. The birds were randomly distributed into eight groups with an average of 50 birds per group comprising: Gums-Gumboro Vaccine Ocular (infected) (GGVOC), Gumboro Vaccine alone Ocular (infected) (GVOC), Gums alone Ocular (infected) (GOC), Gums-Gumboro Vaccine Oral (infected) (GGVOR), Gumboro Vaccine alone Oral (infected) (GVOR), Gums alone Oral (infected) (GOR), No-Vaccine-No-Gums (infected) (NVNG/i), and No-Vaccine-No-Gums (not infected) (NVNG). On a weekly basis, 1.5mls of blood were collected from 5 birds and 3 birds euthanized per group for serological analysis and mucosal washings (trachea and intestine) respectively. Data obtained were analyzed and sample to positive ratio calculated. The post 1st vaccination trachea IgG antibody response was moderately higher in the ocular groups than the oral groups. It was also high in the VOC, GVOC, GOC, VOR groups than the GVOR groups. The antibody response (IgG) pre and post 1st vaccination, post 2nd vaccination and post infection from serum, trachea and intestinal washes showed that by week 1 Post 1st vaccination, there was insignificant increase in titer serum response of the gum-vaccine ocular group compared to the vaccine ocular alone while both groups were insignificantly higher than the oral group. Overall, serum titer showed a rapid response with spiked significant response by 48h pi in the gum vaccine groups (especially GVOR), which peaks by day 3 and remains insignificantly higher throughout the day 7 pi compared to vaccine alone groups. In conclusion, use of the mucilage from C. odorata and K. senegalenses in equal proportion has given better enhancement of the response to IBDV vaccination and premise for further investigations for improvement against IBD.