Browsing by Author "Alhaji, N.B."

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Molecular epidemiology of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia by detection, identification and differentiation of mycoplasma mycoides mycoides in Niger State, Nigeria
(2015-12) Alhaji, N.B.; Babalobi, O. O.
The study was aimed at epidemiologically detecting, identifying, and differentiating Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides strains according to their geographical origins in asymptomatic cattle populations of Niger State, North-central Nigeria between January and August 2013, using conventional and fingerprinting PCR assays without culturing or enriching of the field samples. Cross sectional molecular study of asymptomatic cattle sampled in the major abattoirs and livestock markets was carried out. Geographical lineage differentiation of the strains was performed on the basis of presence or absence of 8.84 kb genomic segment. With primers pair MM450/MM451, two 574 bp genomic fragments of DNA of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides were detected. Using fingerprinting PCR; with insertion element IS1296/R(all) primers pair the detected two strains of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides genomic DNA were specifically identified by generation of a fragment of 1.1 kb; with IS1296/R1 primers pair, identified Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides strains were differentiated to be of African cluster by generation of 1.4 kb. The PCR procedures were sensitive and produced rapid results that identified two strains of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides of African/Australian origin. The presence of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides African/Australian strains, which is useful for vaccine production, was therefore established in Niger State, Nigeria.
Qualitative and quantitative impacts assessment of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia in Fulani pastoral herds of North-central Nigeria: the associated socio-cultural factors
(Elsevier, 2016) Alhaji, N.B.; Babalobi, O. O.
Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia is one of the most important trans-boundary disease affecting Fulani cattle herds of Nigeria and whose control is urgently needed. A Participatory Epidemiology approach and cross-sectional study were concurrently conducted to investigate qualitative and quantitative impacts of CBPP, respectively and associated socio-cultural factors that influenced exposure of Fulani nomadic pastoral communities to its risk in Niger State, North-central Nigeria between January and December 2013.A total of nine pastoral communities were purposively selected for qualitative impact assessment using Participatory Rural Appraisal tools, while 765 cattle randomly sampled from 125 purposively selected nomadic herds were analyzed using c-ELISA. Data on socio-cultural characteristics were collected using structured questionnaires administered on nomadic herd owners of the 125 selected herds. Kendall’s Coefficient of Concordance W statistics and Open Epi 2.3 were used for statistical analyses. Pastoralists’ dependent factors associated with their socio-cultural activities were tested using Chisquare tests and likelihood backward logistic regressions. The mean proportional piles (relative qualitative impact) of CBPP was 12.6%, and nomads agreement on this impact was strong (W = 0.6855) and statistically significant (P < 0.001). This was validated by 16.2% (95% CI: 13.7, 19.0) sero-positive (quantitative impact). Highest sero-prevalence of 25.3% was observed in Northern agro-ecological zone, while lowest of 6.2% was in Eastern zone. Pastoralists in the age groups 51–60 and 61–70 years were more likely (OR 13.07; 95% CI:3.21, 53.12 and OR 7.10; 95% CI: 1.77, 28.33, respectively) to have satisfactory information/awareness on CBPP and lowland transhumance pastoralists were more likely (OR 5.21; 95% CI: 2.01, 13.54) to have satisfactory information. Socio-cultural activities of extensive husbandry system was six times more likely (OR 5.79; 95% CI: 2.55, 13.13) to be satisfactory practice that influenced CBPP occurrence in herds, while culture of borrowing and loaning of cattle was twenty times more likely (OR 19.94; 95% CI: 6.36,62.48) to be satisfactory practice that influenced CBPP occurrence in herds. Also, sharing a water source that caused concentration of stocks in one point was fifty three times more likely (OR 53.08; 95% CI:14.91, 189.00) to be satisfactory practice that influenced occurrence of the disease in herds. This study highlighted the critical gap that exists in terms of significant influence of socio-cultural factors on CBPP occurrence in pastoral herds in Nigeria. Thus, CBPP surveillance, control and prevention programs that take these factors into consideration will be beneficial to the livestock industry in Nigeria, and indeed Africa.
The sero-prevalence and seasonality of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia in nomadic pastoral cattle herds of Niger State, Nigeria
(2016) Alhaji, N.B.; Babalobi, O. O.
A cross-sectional study was conducted in the three agro-ecological zones of Niger State, Nigeria between December 2012 and August 2013 to determine the prevalence, distribution and seasonality of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia in the state. A total of 765 sera were collected from cattle in 125 nomadic herds, and were tested using competitive Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay. Participator)' epidemiology survey was conducted to obtained information on the seasonal occurrence of the disease. The true prevalence at the cattle-level was 16.2% (124/765; 95% Cl: 13.7, I9.0) with Kontagora Agro-zone having the highest sero-prevalence (25.3%; 95% Cl: 20.2, 30,1) amongst the zones. The herd- level true sero-prevalence was 47.2% (59/125; 95% Cl: 38.2, 56.3) with the same Kontagora Agro-zone having the highest sero-prevalence of 72.5% (95% Cl: 56.1, 85.4) among the zones. The Kontagora Agro-zone shared border with the Republic of Benin and some international stocks routes across it significantly (p<0.000000279) had higher sero-prevalence than other zones. The nomadic pastoralists’ concordance on the most season of occurrence of CBPP is early dry season (October to December) and the agreement was very strong (Kendall’s Coefficient of Concordance fP=0.87]9) and statistically significant (P<0.01). The study showed the usefulness of population-based serological survey in detecting active infection in populations which, until now, may be considered to be free of disease by experts’ opinions. The study highlighted the benefits of conducting serological and participatory epidemiology surveys simultaneously, to ascertain the infection status of animals. These findings should be considered for strengthening active surveillance and control of CBPP in Nigeria.