Case report: Actinomycosis in a West African dwarf goat in Nigeria

Actinomycosis, also called Lumpy jaw is a chronic, progressive, indurated, granulomatous, suppurative abscess that most frequently involves the mandible, the maxillae or other bony tissues in the head. It is a sporadic but common disease in cattle, occasional in pigs and horses and rarely in goats (Radostits et al., 2007). Members of the genus Actinomyces are Gram positive, non-acid fast, non-spore forming rods (Songer and Post, 2005) that form a mycelium of branching filaments that fragment into irregular-sized rods (Blood et al., 2007). The species that commonly cause disease in domestic animals include A. bovis, A. hordeovulneris, A. hyovaginalis, A. israelii, A. naeslundii, A. suis, A. viscosus and Arcanobacterium pyogenes (Songer and Post, 2005). Actinomyces bovis is a common inhabitant of the bovine mouth and infection is presumed to occur through wounds to the buccal mucosa caused by sharp pieces of feed or foreign material. Infection may also occur through dental alveoli, and may account for the more common occurrence of the disease in young cattle when the teeth are erupting (Radostits et al., 2007).Actinomyces viscosus causes periodontal disease and subgingival plaques in hamsters fed a high carbohydrate diet, and also abscessation in dogs (Timoney et al., 1988) in which it is an opportunistic infection (Blood et al., 2007). The present report describes a case of actinomycosis due to A. viscosus involving a doe in a herd of 42 West African Dwarf (WAD) goats kept intensively at the Teaching and Research Farm, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria

Ambulatory Epigastric Hernia Repair Using Local Anaesthesia: A Pragmatic Approach In A Resource Poor Society

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A review of the management of perforated duodenal ulcers at a tertiary hospital in south western Nigeria

Background: Gastro-duodenal perforations are common and may complicate peptic ulcer disease. Management is often by surgical closure.Objective: To determine the patterns of presentation and mode of management of duodenal ulcer perforations.Methods: Retrospective review of patients with duodenal ulcer perforations seen at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital between June 2001 and July 2011. Patients’ records were reviewed for demography, duration of disease, probable risk factors, type of surgery and complications. Data obtained was analyzed using SPSS 15.0.Result: Forty- five patients were reviewed. There were 37 males (82.2%). Mean age was 39.7years (range 15-78years). There were 10 (22.6%) students and 8(17.8%) farmers. NSAIDs abuse (11), previous peptic ulcer disease (2), and no prior dyspeptic symptoms (20) constituted 24.4%, 4.4% and 44.4% respectively of cases. Seven (16%) patients presented less than 24 hours of onset of illness. Forty one perforations (91.1%) involved the first part of duodenum. Twenty two (49%) patients had Graham’s omental patch. We had one (2.2%) failed repair and six (13.3%) mortalities. Conclusion: Late presentation of duodenal ulcer perforation is common with high mortality. Pragmatic surgical intervention with Graham’s omentopexy with broad spectrum antibiotics is still commonly practiced.Keywords: Duodenal ulcers, perforations, management, NigeriaAfrican Health Sciences Vol 13 Issue 4 December 201

Knowledge, attitude and practice of equine vaccination among horse owners in Kano, Northern Nigeria

Equine infectious diseases continue to be one of the most important threats to the overall health of domesticated horses and proper vaccination is one the most important preventive measure against such infectious diseases. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude and practice of equine vaccination among horse owners. Forty horse owners completed the questionnaire and all the respondents were male with an average mean age of 41.9years and 50% were degree holders. A positive attitude 14(35%) toward equine vaccination was recorded. 10% had training on horse management and 19(47.5%) were aware of equine vaccination. Statistically significant associations were observed between practice of vaccination and awareness of equine vaccination and having vaccination programme. However no statistical association was observed between practice of vaccination and attending training on horse management. The common vaccinable diseases encountered as reported were tetanus (28/40), influenza (17/40), and AHS (6/40) with 37.5% and 2.5% of the respondents agreed that tetanus and AHS respectively are the most common cause of horse death. The diseases commonly vaccinated against were tetanus (22.5%) and influenza (5%). The use of veterinary practice is very low as 54.6% of the respondents do either vaccinate their horses by themselves or used their groom. Their knowledge of equine vaccination is generally poor, particularly with tetanus vaccination, as majority cannot differentiate the usage of tetanus antitoxin and toxoid. In conclusion, we believe that the poor knowledge showed by the horse owners reflects inadequate information about the important of equine vaccination. It is therefore important for horse owners to understand good vaccination programme is a critical aspect of good managerial practices. More so there is need to work with their local veterinarians in developing vaccination programmes for the common diseases seen in the area.Keywords: attitude, horse, knowledge, practice, vaccinatio

Prevalence of Mycobacterium bovis in some cattle breeds in the aids era: An abattoir survey in Ogun State, Nigeria

Eight breeds of cattle totalling 15520 heads and comprising of 3784 bulls and 11736 cows were examined during slaughter in the two largest abattoirs in Ogun State, Nigeria between January and December, 2007. Samples of lung, liver, spleen, kidney, udder, skin and pleural lymph nodes with gross lesions suspected to be those of tuberculosis were obtained from the slaughtered animals. Each of the samples was processed according to the standard method and thereafter stained by Ziehl-Neelsen’s technique and was microscopically examined for acid fast organisms. Samples containing acid fast bacilli were cultured on Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) medium with pyruvate or glycerol. M. bovis was identified by growth rate, pigment production, colony and cell morphology and biochemical characteristics. A total of 41 heads of cattle comprising of 9 bulls and 32 cows from 7 breeds were positive for M. bovis. No isolate of M. bovis was obtained from Keteku breed and no seasonal distribution of the organism was observed. Among the organs with lesions, the lung had the highest number (18) of M. bovis. The number of White Fulani cattle with M. bovis was highest (13) among the breeds examined.Keywords: Prevalence, Mycobacterium bovis, Cattle, Abattoir, Ogun Stat

Incidence of foetal wastage and economic implication on national herd replacement: A case study of Lafenwa Municipal Abattoir Ogun State, Nigeria

One year prospective study was carried out in Lafenwa municipal Abattoir to determine the incidence of foetal  wastage and its economic implication. Of the 39776 cows slaughtered, 4115 (10.35%) were pregnant. The wastage reduces national herd replacement through birth by 113045 (0.7%) cattle per annum. The financial loss is  estimated at A2,766,432,528  (US$18,442,883.52). Season of the year does not significantly affect rate of foetal loss in the abattoir, though losses was higher during late raining season between September and November. With this finding, it is imperative for the government to empower the meat inspector to carry out efficient ante mortem meat inspection and enforcement of law that prohibit slaughtering of healthy pregnant animals. Likewise, livestock owners should be educated on the economic implications of selling pregnant animals.Keywords: Foetal Wastage, Abattoir, Herd replacement, Nigeri

Posterior Urethral Valves in Children: Pattern of Presentation and Outcome of Initial Treatment in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Background: The management of posterior urethral valves (PUV) and its sequelae is still a challenge to most pediatric surgeons in our environment due to late presentation and inadequate facilities for long‑term evaluation and treatment. Despite initial successful treatment about 40% would develop chronic renal failure. The aim is to describe the presentation, management and outcome of the initial treatment in boys with PUV. Materials and Methods: It is a retrospective analysis of PUV in boys 8 years and below over a 17 years period. Demographic characteristics, clinical features, investigations, and treatment outcome were reviewed. Results: Thirty‑seven cases were analyzed. The median age was 5 months (range from birth to 8 years). Three (8.1%) patients had prenatal ultrasound diagnosis. The most common presentation was voiding dysfunction 37 (100%). Part of the preoperative investigation included micturating cystourethrogram (n = 31: 83.8%) and abdomino‑pelvic ultrasonography (n = 37:(100%). The mean serum creatinine value of those who presented within the first 30 days of life and those who presented afterwards were 325 (±251) μmol/L and 141 (±100) μmol/L respectively, P = 0.003. Surgical interventions included trans‑vesical excision of valves (n = 9: 28.1%), valvotomy (n = 10: 31.3%), balloon avulsion (n = 8: 25.0%), vesicostomy (n = 4: 12.5%) and endoscopic valve avulsion (n = 1: 3.1%). Seventeen (56.7%) patients had serum creatinine >70.4 μmol/L after 1‑month of valve excision. Five (13.5%) patients had postrelief complications and 5 (13.5%) died on admission. Ninety percentage (27/30) of patients had poor prognostic indices. Conclusions: The initial treatment outcome was good but most had poor prognostic factors.Keywords: Excision, treatment outcome, urethral valve

Mandibular morphological changes associated with actinomycesviscosus infection in a West African dwarf goat in Nigeria

This report described the morphological alterations on the mandible in a 3- year- old West African dwarfdoe caused by Actinomycesviscosus infection. The animal recovered after treatment but was later culled and the head submitted to the Department of Veterinary Anatomy. Hot water maceration of the lower jaw and the histology of the right mandibular lymph nodewere carried out. The mandible revealed worn off periodontal membrane, lodgment of tough feed materials in the gingival-alveolar spaces as well as a fistulous tract of about 4mm in diameter with uneven ridges at its edges ventral to the 2nd molar on the lateral aspect of the horizontal ramus of the mandible. Also, the alveolar borders of both sides of the mandible were worn off with the right side forming a thicker ridge than the left. While the mandibular tuberosity on the median surface of the right mandiblewas more prominent than the left, there was equally a distortion in the alveolar alignment with deviation towards the median plane. Histologically, the right mandibular lymph node revealed moderate fibroplasia with cortical lymphoid hypoplasia and local area of mineralization with mononuclear cell infiltration (mostly macrophages) in the sinuses. These findings showed a great similarity in the mandibular morphological changes in the West African dwarf goat and other small ruminants irrespective of the causative agent. It also showed that these changes arepermanent and could lead to imbalance in the alignment of the upper and the lower jaws thereby impairing chewing and consequently, the growth of the affected and even treated animals

Situs inversus in association with duodenal atresia

Situs inversus in association with duodenal atresia is very rare. A high index of suspicion coupled with appropriate evaluation is necessary for diagnosis and operative planning. We report a case of a 5-day-old who presented with duodenal atresia associated with polysplenia and situs inversus with a review of the medical literature.Key words: Situs inversus, duodenal atresi