Dr Oluwole O. Oni

A 12-wk feeding experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of supplementation with molecular or nano-clay adsorbent on growth performance and haematological indices of starter (0-56 d) and grower (56-84 d) turkeys fed diets contaminated with varying doses (0, 60, and 110 ppb) of aflatoxin B-1. Two hundred and sixteen 1-d-old male turkeys were assigned to 9 diets supplemented with no adsorbent, molecular clay adsorbent, and nano-clay adsorbent and contaminated with 0, 60, and 110 ppb aflatoxin B1 in a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments with 3 replicate pens and 8 turkeys per pen. The turkeys were housed in an open-sided, deep litter system, which was partitioned into 27 pens (2 x 1.5 m(2)) using wire mesh. As aflatoxin contamination increased from 0 to 110 ppb, feed intake and weight gain decreased and feed conversion ratio (FCR) increased in starter turkeys, but the adverse effects of aflatoxin were progressively less from those fed the diets with no adsorbent to molecular clay adsorbent and then to nano-clay adsorbent (adsorbent x aflatoxin. P < 0.044). Grower turkeys fed the diets with adsorbents consumed more feed and had better FCR than those fed the diets without adsorbent, and those fed the diets with nano-clay adsorbent had better FCR than grower turkeys fed the diets with molecular clay adsorbent (P < 0.001). The highest mortality was observed in starter and grower turkeys fed the diet with no adsorbent and contaminated with 110 ppb aflatoxin (adsorbent x aflatoxin, P=0.002). As aflatoxin increased in starter and grower turkeys fed the diets with no adsorbent, white blood cell (WBC) and lymphocyte counts increased and packed cell volume (PCV) decreased, whereas aflatoxin had no noticeable effect on those response criteria in turkeys fed the diets with molecular clay and nano-clay adsorbent (adsorbent x aflatoxin, P < 0.05). Starter turkeys fed the diets with adsorbents had a greater Hb and monocyte concentration (P < 0.001), whereas grower turkeys fed the diets with adsorbents had less heterophil and eosinophil counts (P < 0.043) than those fed the diets with no adsorbent. In conclusion, supplementation of aflatoxin-contaminated diets with clay adsorbents seemed to improve weight gain and reduce mortality, and reduce adverse effects of aflatoxin on PCV and Hb in turkeys. Grower turkeys fed the diet supplemented with nano-clay adsorbent had better growth performance than those fed the diet supplemented with molecular clay adsorbent. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with molecular or nano-clay binders on biochemical and histopathological examination of organs of turkeys fed diets contaminated with aflatoxin B Two hundred and sixteen unsexed 1-day-old British United Turkeys were randomly allotted to nine diets in a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement of diets supplemented with no toxin binder, molecular toxin binder (MTB) and nano-clay toxin binder, each contaminated with 0, 60 and 110 ppb aflatoxin B respectively. There were three replicates per treatment with eight turkeys per replicate. Biochemical analyses, organ weights and histopathological changes of some organs were examined at the end of the study which lasted for 84 days. Turkeys fed diets supplemented with molecular and nano-binders showed higher (p 

Avian mycoplasmosis, caused mostly by Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) and Mycoplasma synoviae (MS), is an economically important disease that affects the respiratory tract and joints of poultry birds. We detected and characterized MG and MS in chicken carcasses from thirty-seven farms having history of respiratory disease submitted to diagnostic laboratories in three south-western states of Nigeria in this study. Trachea scrapings from the carcasses were collected on FTA cards and realtime PCR was carried out to identify MG and MS positive samples. Two MG (mgc2S and igsr) and three MS (vlhA, nanA and ugpA) genes of the positive samples were sequenced. Alignment of the concatenated two MG and three MS genes sequences of the Nigeria strains and other reference strains were constructed by the Clustal-W method with the use of the MegAlign program (DNASTAR Lasergene). A total of 36.8% of the farms were MGMS (MG and MS) positive, 7.89% were MG positive only while 13.1% were MS positive only. The Nigeria MG strains shared about 98.71 - 99.84% identity with strains from Egypt, Israel and Jordan strains while the MS strains were 93.8 – 96.2% with strains from the Great Britain. Six farms had 6/85 live vaccine-like strains but none of the farms was positive for MS-H vaccine. This study sheds light on the molecular characteristics of MG and MS in Nigeria, provides important information that can be used to better understand the epidemiology of these diseases in the Nigeria and will help in developing control programs against these diseases in Nigeria.

One hundred and fifty eight samples were collected from various species of food animals, namely bovine, ovine, porcine and caprine to investigate the prevalence of various natural haemoparasitic protozoan infections namely trypanosomosis, anaplasmosis, babesiosis and theileriosis. Most importantly, the bovine and ovine showed high susceptibility to haemoparasitic protozoan infection with 13.6% and 15.18% respectively. The ovine also showed 16% prevalence with mixed infection of two or more of anaplasmosis, babesiosis and theileriosis respectively. Porcine is the least predisposed to haemoparasitic infections. The clinico-haematological picture shows that anaemia is common to all species, there was eosinophilia and lymphocytosis in sheep and goats with varying extent of neutrophilia in bovine and ovine, while the porcine manifested neutropaenia, but there was lymphocytosis. The haematological parameters of naturally infected animals improved after treatment in virtually all species.

This study was conducted to evaluate the variation in antibody from Newcastle disease (ND) vaccinated breeder birds and their progenies. The chicks were evaluated for maternally derived antibody (MDA) against ND virus and also the MDA transfer rate for each genotype. The local parent stocks were Frizzle-feathered, Normal-feathered, and Naked neck while an exotic parent stock (Anak Titan) was used for the purpose of comparison. Sera samples were collected from chicks generated at day 3 post-hatch, and sera were also collected from the parent stocks. The sera samples were stored at -20 degrees C until analysed. Enzyme linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) test was used for the detection and quantification of antibodies to ND in the parent stocks and the chicks using IDEXX Newcastle Disease ELISA test kit. The least squares means of antibody titers for parent stocks were 413.333+/-68.853, 426.333+/-121.949, 481.667+/-145.454, and 1148.333+/-532.843 for Frizzle-feathered, Normal-feathered, Naked Neck, and Anak Titan, and the calculated MDA transfer rate was 96.4, 93.8, 88.7, and 34.7% for Frizzle-feathered, Normal-feathered, Naked neck, and Anak Titan, respectively. The mean antibody titers for chicks were 398.6+/-43.871, 400.0+/-53.952, 427.0+/-89.353, and 398.8+/-57.593 for Frizzle-feathered, Normal-feathered, Naked neck, and Anak Titan, respectively. The antibody titers from parent stocks were higher than those observed in chicks for all the genotypes. The values obtained in this study indicated that parent stocks with their progenies were below protective level. The local parent stocks had higher transfer rate when compared to their exotic counterpart. Hence, there is an indication from this finding that the local chickens had a better transfer rate in relation to Anak Titan which is an exotic breed. Therefore, there is the presence of genetic variability for antibody transfer in the Nigerian local chickens and can be incorporated in designing a breeding program for better adaptive potential.

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by a protozoan, Toxoplasma gondii which is the only known species that affects both human and animals. There is paucity of data on the prevalence of toxoplasmosis among pigs in Nigeria. This study was carried out to determine prevalence and concentration of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in pigs from randomly selected three local governments in Ogun State, Nigeria. Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) was used to determine the sero-prevalence. The antibody levels were measured as optical density (OD) to determine the seropositivity of individual animals in the studied population. An overall sero-prevalence of 24.2% was observed in the study. Of the total animal studied, 33.3% and 19.0% of the female and male were positive respectively (p=0.6). While 23.5%, 8.3% and 11.1% of the piglets, weaners and adults were positive respectively (p=0.3). Of the pigs sampled from Odeda; 37% were positive while 24% and 39% of the pigs from Obafemi Owode and Abeokuta South local Government areas were positive respectively. The mean concentrations of the titres of the Toxoplasma antibody varied across the age, gender and locations although the differences were not statistically significant (p values of 0.35, 0.60 and 0.22 respectively). This study shows that the zoonotic parasite, T. gondiii is present in Ogun State, thus necessitating the need for public awareness on the disease and serve as a template for institution of necessary control measures.

Garcinia kola (GK) seed is believed to possess aphrodisiac properties hence its traditional use to manage erectile dysfunctions in man. However, there has been conflicting reports of its long-term effects on the male reproductive organs. In this study, the effect of varying doses of methanol extract of GK on testicular function and structure in Wistar rats was evaluated. Forty adult male rats (350-360g) were randomly divided into 4 groups. Groups 1, 2 and 3 received oral doses of 600mg/kg, 400mg/kg and 100mg/kg of the extract daily, respectively for 70 days while group 4 (control group) received normal saline (0.9% NaCl). Blood samples were collected fortnightly from each rat for serum chemistry and testosterone analysis. At termination, the testes, epididymides and livers were harvested, weighed and fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin and processed for histopathology. The results were presented as mean ± standard error of mean (SEM) and analyzed using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at P< 0.05. Dose-related pathological changes were observed in the testes and epididymides. Testicular weight decreased significantly (p

Background Avian rotaviruses (RVs) cause gastrointestinal diseases of birds worldwide. However, prevalence, diversity, epidemiology and phylogeny of RVs remain largely under-investigated in Africa. Methods Fecal samples from 349 birds (158 symptomatic, 107 asymptomatic and 84 birds without recorded health status) were screened by reverse transcription PCR to detect RV groups A and D (RVA and RVD). Partial gene sequences of VP4, VP6, VP7 and NSP4 for RVA, and of VP6 and VP7 for RVD were obtained and analyzed to infer phylogenetic relationship. Fisher’s exact test and logistic regression were applied to identify factors potentially influencing virus shedding in chickens. Results A high prevalence of RVA (36.1%; 126/349) and RVD (31.8%; 111/349) shedding was revealed in birds. In chickens, RV shedding was age-dependent and highest RVD shedding rates were found in commercial farms. No negative health effect could be shown, and RVA and RVD shedding was significantly more likely in asymptomatic chickens: RVA/RVD were detected in 51.9/48.1% of the asymptomatic chickens, compared to 18.9/29.7% of the symptomatic chickens (p < 0.001/p = 0.01). First RVA sequences were obtained from mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) and guinea fowls (Numida meleagris). Phylogenetic analyses illustrated the high genetic diversity of RVA and RVD in Nigerian birds and suggested cross-species transmission of RVA, especially at live bird markets. Indeed, RVA strains highly similar to a recently published fox rotavirus (RVA/Fox-tc/ITA/288356/2011/G18P[17]) and distantly related to other avian RVs were detected in different bird species, including pigeons, ducks, guinea fowls, quails and chickens. Conclusion This study provides new insights into epidemiology, diversity and classification of avian RVA and RVD in Nigeria. We show that cross-species transmission of host permissive RV strains occurs when different bird species are mixed.

Avian leukosis is caused by various avian retroviruses which induce a variety of benign and malignant neoplasm in chickens with subsequent economic losses to the poultry industry. A survey of avian leukosis in hatchable eggs of apparently healthy chickens was carried out in an attempt to determine the prevalence of avian leukosis virus (ALV) in exotic breeders and free-range indigenous chickens in Oyo state. A total of 188 (76 exotic breeders and 112 free-range chickens) albumen of hatchable eggs were obtained from 3 different commercial breeder farms and 12 free-range indigenous chicken farms. Eggs were tested by an antigen capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Eleven out of the 76 albumen obtained from eggs of exotic breeders tested positive to ALV antigen which represents 14.5% while 37 of the 112 albumen from free-range indigenous eggs were confirmed as positive representing 33%. Overall prevalence rate of 25% was recorded for all eggs sampled with the highest prevalence of ALV antigen detected in free-range indigenous chickens than the exotic chickens. The results emphasizes the control of the Avian Leukosis transmission by including both exotic and free-range indigenous birds as wells as the use of ALV free eggs in hatcheries

Aim and Background: The poultry industry faces myriads challenges, necessitating effective management and control strategies. Thus, this study was designed to identify haemoparasite and determine the impact of haemoparasitic infection on blood cells and serum biochemical profiles in some poultry birds in Ibadan, Nigeria. Methods: The study examined 390 birds of different types and of various types for the prevalence and type of haemoparasites, haematological parameters, and associated risk factors. Thin smears were prepared from each bird and examined microscopically. Erythrocyte morphology, including size variation (anisocytosis), shape abnormalities (poikilocytosis), and other abnormalities were evaluated in the monolayer region of the smear. Results: The study found that 44.6% were infected with haemoparasites. Five species of hemoparasites were found during this study, including Plasmodium, Haemoparoteus, Leucocytozoon, Babesia and Microfilaria. In single infection Plasmodium spp was the most prevalent haemoparasite (51.72%) followed by Haemoproteus spp 3.45%, Babesia 3.45% and Microfilaria 1.72%. In mixed infection Plasmodium and Haemoproteus (19 %), Plasmodium and Microfilaria (8.62%), Babesia and Plasmodium (6.90%), Babesia and Haemoproteus (1.72%), Plasmodium and Leukocytozoon 1.72%, in triple infection Babesia, Haemoproteus and Plasmodium (1.72%). Infected birds showed significantly lower haematological parameters, with globulin and creatinine being crucial, while albumin was lower, and the difference between red blood cell diameters was not significant. Conclusion: The study reveals that haematological parameters and biochemical profiles in poultry birds are crucial indicators of their health and offer practical insights for poultry health management.

Infectious bronchitis (IB) is a highly contagious disease of the respiratory and urogenital tract of chickens, caused by infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), a member of the family Coronaviridae. Due to the serious infectious and transmission features of the disease mostly in the reproductive and respiratory systems it causes potential economic loss. Hence a cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2022 to June 2022 on chicken serum and tracheal swab samples from backyard and commercial farms in central Gondar zone, Ethiopia, to determine the seroprevalence of IB, associated risk factors and for isolation and molecular detection of the virus. A total of 384 blood samples were collected and tested by an indirect ELISA and Anti-IBV antibody positivity was noted in 92.19% (95% confidence interval (89 % -94.6 %) of the samples. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the impact of possible risk factors on seropositivity. Higher prevalence was noted in young chickens than in adults (p< 0.05) and in exotic breeds than in local breeds (p0.05), higher prevalence was obtained in dual purpose chickens (93.75%) than in layers (92.17%) and broilers (90.98%). Higher prevalence was also noted in females (92.7%) than in males (90.98%) and in intensively managed chickens (93.39%) than in extensively managed chickens (90.69%) with p>0.05. Conventional RT-PCR test was also performed for the molecular detection of virus. The test was done on 52 tracheal swab samples collected from intensive and backyard unvaccinated chickens that were pooled in to 26 samples. Accordingly, 3 (11.54%) of the 26 pooled samples were IBV positive. The result showed that this was the first molecular evidence found in the study area. The seroprevalence of the disease in this study was very high for all age groups, breed types, and farm types. The risk factors mentioned and the management methods may have raised the likelihood of infection and the prevalence of the disease. Vaccination and biosecurity measures are advised to manage the disease. Identification and characterization of persistent IBV serotypes that are present in the field is also recommended to manage the disease.

The use of molecular methods for rotavirus characterisation provides increased sensitivity for typing and allows the identification of putative reassortant strains. Reagents and methods for genotyping the virus need constant modification because of the reassortant nature of the virus. This study was aimed at designing and evaluating new oligonucleotide degenerate primer pairs that provide increased sensitivity and specificity for detecting avian rotavirus. Gene-specific primer pairs were designed by analysing different rotavirus strains isolated during the last decade by downloading them from the GenBank. The alignments were generated using clustal analysis from the BioEdit program. Degenerate nucleotides were included due to the reassortant nature of rotavirus. The consensus sequences were aligned using the BioEdit program and then treated with the Fast PCR software to derive the primers. The derived primer sequences were submitted for a BLAST search to ensure alignment was exclusive to the desired target genes. The designed primers had specific bands and were efficient in detecting rotavirus in faecal samples than previously published primers. Thus, a successful surveillance of rotaviruses requires that primer pairs be updated regularly in order to detect the emergence of novel or "unusual types", which have occurred by genetic drift causing nucleotide changes at the primer binding sites that result in typing failures. We recommend the use of the proposed primers in molecular surveillance studies for efficient detection of avian rotavirus.

Introduction: in the northern region of Benin, poultry farming is essential for livelihood and food security but is challenged by Newcastle Disease (ND) and Avian Influenza (AI). This study explores how gender dynamics and biosecurity practices affect the prevalence of these diseases in local poultry farms. Methods: a survey was conducted among 118 smallholder farmers (52 men and 66 women) to gather data on biosecurity practices, disease incidence, and farm demographics. The data were analyzed to identify relationships between variables such as gender, farm size, and biosecurity measures. Results: women predominantly managed small-scale farms (60.10%). Newcastle disease was reported by 49.15% of farmers, with symptoms including torticollis (43.10%) and greenish diarrhea (37.93%). Avian Influenza was reported by 30.76% of farmers, with symptoms such as hemorrhagic comb wattles and legs (34.29%) and sudden death (25.71%). Vaccination against ND was practiced by 51.69% of farmers; none were vaccinated against AI. Significant relationships were found between gender and farm size (p < 0.001), biosecurity implementation and ND experience (p = 0.027), wild bird contact and AI experience (p < 0.001), and quarantine practice and AI experience (p = 0.006). Conclusion: the study underscores the necessity for enhanced biosecurity measures and veterinary services to control Newcastle disease and Avian Influenza in Northern Benin. It emphasizes the importance of empowering female farmers through improved access to biosecurity resources, targeted training, and microfinancing. Experience with ND motivates preventive actions, whereas AI experience did not significantly impact biosecurity practices.

Marek's disease (MD) is caused by oncogenic MD virus serotype 1 (MDV1) and is characterized by lymphoproliferative lesions resulting in high morbidity and mortality in chickens. Despite being ubiquitous on poultry farms, there is a dearth of information on its molecular characteristics in Nigeria. This study aimed at characterizing three virulence genes (Meq, pp38, and vIL-8) of MDV1 from chickens in Ogun state, Nigeria. Blood, feather quill, and tumour samples of chickens from different commercial poultry farms in Ogun State were pooled, spotted on 107 FTA cards, and screened for MDV1 by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Phylogenetic analysis was carried out to compare Nigerian MDV1 Meq, pp38, and vIL-8 genes sequences with the published references. Thirteen samples were MDV1-positive and the Meq, as well as pp38, and vIL-8 genes from the different samples were 100% identical. The Meq genes contained 339 amino acids (aa) with three PPPP motifs in the transactivation domain and two interruptions of the PPPP motifs due to proline-to-arginine substitutions at positions 176 and 217 resulting in a 20.88% proline composition. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Meq gene clustered with strains from Egypt and very virulent ATE2539 strain from Hungary. Mutations were observed in the pp38 protein (at positions 107 and 109) and vIL-8 protein (at positions 4 and 31). Based on the molecular analysis of the three genes, the results indicate the presence of MDV1 with virulence signatures; therefore, further studies on in vivo pathotyping of Nigerian MDV1 from all states should be performed. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS Meq, pp38 and vIL-8 genes were 100% identical between Nigerian MDV strains. Proline content in Nigerian meq gene was 20.88% with two PPPP motifs interruptions. Meq, pp38 and vIL-8 genes of Nigerian MDV were similar to Egyptian and Indian strains.

Poultry farming is crucial for the livelihoods of small-scale producers in the Northen Benin, yet the industry faces challenges from diseases like ND, which threaten both poultry health and economic stability. This study investigates the seroprevalence of Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) among indigenous chickens and guinea fowl in the Atacora and Donga regions of Northern Benin, addressing a significant gap in regional poultry health data. A cross-sectional study was designed, sampling a total of 300 birds, including 191 indigenous chickens and 109 guinea fowl, from six districts. Systematic random sampling was employed to select smallholder farms, and blood samples were collected for Hemagglutination inhibition (HI) tests to detect NDV antibodies. Statistical analyses, including chi-square tests, determined associations and differences in seroprevalence between regions and species. Results revealed notable variations in NDV seroprevalence between the two regions. In Atacora, 59.22% of chickens tested positive for NDV antibodies, with 52.33% of non-vaccinated and 94.12% of vaccinated chickens showing positive results. In Donga, the overall seroprevalence was 46.59%, with 27.78% of non-vaccinated and 59.62% of vaccinated chickens testing positive. A chi-square test indicated a significant difference in NDV seroprevalence between the two regions for chickens (x2 = 12.901; P = 0.024). For guinea fowls, seroprevalence was 63.53% in Atacora and 62.50% in Donga, with no significant difference observed (x2 = 1.102; P = 0.954). This study provides the first serological data on NDV prevalence in northern Benin, highlighting the endemic nature of NDV and the critical epidemiological role of guinea fowls due to frequent exposure and field infections, especially in the Atacora region. It recommends enhancing vaccination coverage, improving biosecurity measures, and conducting further research to isolate and characterize virus strains to develop more effective control strategies.