Zoonotic fungal diseases and animal ownership in Nigeria

Background: The growing interest in keeping animals as pets in Nigeria and other resource-poor countries highlights the possibility of transmission of zoonotic infections to humans. These zoonoses which are usually caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi, are naturally transmitted to humans, causing various degrees of morbidity and mortality with attendant economic and or public health consequences.Materials and method: In the present review, a computerized search of existing literature was conducted using the Google search engine and PubMed electronic database to identify and download relevant publications on zoonotic fungal infections in Nigeria. The key words used were zoonotic fungal disease and Nigeria while the Boolean operator ‘AND’ was used to combine and narrow the searches. Additional information was obtained by searching the medical and veterinary libraries for journals not listed in the database. The available publications were thereafter reviewed and findings qualitatively described.Results: Our findings revealed that fungal diseases with zoonotic potential lack sufficient attention in Nigeria. This suggests that fungi are yet to be considered as major causes of morbidity and mortality in animals and humans in Nigeria, and may account for the few reports available on zoonotic fungal diseases in the country.Conclusion: There is a need to raise awareness of the extent of health problems caused by zoonotic fungal diseases in Nigeria in order to better appreciate their burden and public health consequences, and also provide an integrated platform for development of effective prevention and control strategies.Keywords: Zoonoses, Fungal disease, Humans, Animals, Nigeri

POSSIBLE MECHANISMS UNDERLYING BACTERIAL-VIRAL INTERACTIONS IN RESPIRATORY DISEASES: A REVIEW

Background: Respiratory diseases are frequent and economically significant problems in both humans and animals. The potential losses resulting from decrease in average daily gain and feed efficiency, as well as the cost of preventing or treating these diseases are substantial. Although synergistic relationships between bacteria and viruses have been documented to aggravate these diseases, the pathogenic mechanisms remain poorly understood. Materials and method: For this review, PubMed and Google search engines were used to select about 45 publications on bacterial-viral interactions in respiratory conditions. Studies on animal models were also included in the review. The publications were compared and summarized using a narrative review approach and findings were described qualitatively. Results: Respiratory diseases are exacerbated by interactions between bacteria and viruses in both humans and animals. Possible mechanisms underlying this synergism were found to include, among others, increased bacterial adherence due to viral infection, reduction of mucociliary clearance, diminished chemotaxis, immature phagocytes and decreased surfactant levels. Conclusion: Interactions between bacteria and viruses make management of respiratory diseases difficult. However, exploration of the highlighted mechanisms responsible for this synergism in the development and production of novel antimicrobials and vaccines against these pathogens is crucial to improving management, prevention and control of respiratory infections. This may be particularly beneficial in this era of increasing antibiotic resistance

Plantibodies in human and animal health: a review.

Background: Antibodies are essential part of vertebrates\u2019 adaptive immune system; they can now be produced by transforming plants with antibody-coding genes from mammals/humans. Although plants do not naturally make antibodies, the plant-derived antibodies (plantibodies) have been shown to function in the same way as mammalian antibodies. Methods: PubMed and Google search engines were used to download relevant publications on plantibodies in medical and veterinary fields; the papers were reviewed and findings qualitatively described. Results: The process of bioproduction of plantibodies offers several advantages over the conventional method of antibody production in mammalian cells with the cost of antibody production in plants being substantially lesser. Contrary to what is possible with animal-derived antibodies, the process of making plantibodies almost exclusively precludes transfer of pathogens to the end product. Additionally, plants not only produce a relatively high yield of antibodies in a comparatively faster time, they also serve as cost-effective bioreactors to produce antibodies of diverse specificities. Conclusion: Plantibodies are safe, cost-effective and offer more advantages over animal-derived antibodies. Methods of producing them are described with a view to inspiring African scientists on the need to embrace and harness this rapidly evolving biotechnology in solving human and animal health challenges on the continent where the climate supports growth of diverse plants

Investigation of Enteric Viruses Associated With Runting and Stunting in Day-Old Chicks and Older Broilers in Southwest Nigeria

Publication history: Accepted - 2 July 2019; Published - 16 July 2019Enteric viruses are known to have significant economic impact on poultry, especially broiler chicken flocks, because of production losses attributable to poor feed conversion and weight gain. To sustain the Nigerian poultry industry that contributes significantly to the livestock sector of the economy, there is a need to investigate commercial broiler flocks in the country for the presence of enteric viruses causing runting and stunting, growth retardation, and hatchery diseases. Gut contents were collected from 158 day-old and six 14-week old runted/stunted broiler chickens in commercial farms (ten) and hatcheries (six) located in Southwest Nigeria. The samples were examined for the presence of chicken astrovirus (CAstV), avian nephritis virus (ANV), avian rotavirus (AvRV), chicken parvovirus (ChPV), and turkey astroviruses (TAstV-1 and−2) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) whereas avian reovirus (ARV) and fowl adenovirus (FAdV) by virus isolation (VI), RT-PCR, and PCR. While CAstV was detected in all the birds (100%), sporadic detection of ANV (5%), and ChPV (5%) was observed in day-old and/or older birds. Four isolates were obtained by VI with one isolate being ARV positive and other three FAdV positive by RT-PCR and PCR, respectively. These findings strongly suggest CAstV as a major cause of runting and stunting as well as hatchery condemnations in commercial broilers in Southwest Nigeria, although co-infections with ANV, FAdV, ARV, and ChPV cannot be ruled out. In addition, the possible vertical and horizontal transmissions of these viruses are discussed

Detection and characterization of chicken astrovirus associated with hatchery disease in commercial day‑old turkeys in southwestern Nigeria

Publication history: Accepted - 25 January 2021; Published - 23 March 2021.Infectious diseases are a major obstacle to profitable poultry production in Nigeria due to the mortality and severe economic losses they cause. In particular, they are a potent threat to attainment of the food security goals of government and national self-sufficiency in food production. Thus, there is a need for continuous monitoring of the nation’s poultry population for these diseases. As part of an ongoing investigation of enteric viruses associated with poor performance or hatchery diseases in commercial poultry in southwestern Nigeria, intestinal contents from 97 condemned or runted day-old commercial turkey poults were examined for turkey astroviruses, infectious bronchitis virus, chicken astrovirus (CAstV), avian nephritis virus, avian rotavirus, avian reovirus, fowl adenovirus, and chicken parvovirus by virus isolation, electron microscopy (EM), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and reverse transcription PCR. The samples were collected from five commercial hatcheries and five farms located in southwestern Nigeria. While all samples tested negative for other viruses, CAstV was detected in the majority (83.5%) of the birds, although some pleomorphic virus-like particles with surface projections that appeared fringed or fimbriated were observed in five of the cell culture samples by EM. Phylogenetic analysis revealed these CAstV strains belonged to the Bi clade. These findings not only implicate CAstV as the major cause of hatchery condemnations in commercial turkeys in southwestern Nigeria but also highlight the need for experimental studies to further establish its role in this disease condition

FLOCK-BASED SURVEILLANCE FOR LOW PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA VIRUS IN COMMERCIAL BREEDERS AND LAYERS, SOUTHWEST NIGERIA

Background: Flock surveillance systems for avian influenza (AI) virus play a critical role in countries where vaccination is not practiced so as to establish the epidemiological characteristics of AI needed for the development of prevention and control strategies in such countries. Materials and Methods: As part of routine AI monitoring in southwest Nigeria, a competitive ELISA was used for detecting influenza A virus antibodies in the sera of 461 commercial breeder and layer birds obtained from different flocks in Oyo State, Nigeria while haemagglutination inhibiting antibodies against low pathogenic AI viruses (LPAIVs) were detected using H5N2, H7N7 and H9N2 subtype-specific antigens. Suspensions prepared from cloacal swabs were tested for AI virus RNA using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Results: Results showed that influenza A virus antibody prevalence was 12.8% and 9.3% for breeders and layers, respectively while HI assay revealed 22.0%, 2.0% and 78.0% prevalence of LPAIV H5N2, H7N7 and H9N2 antibodies respectively. All cloacal swab suspensions were negative for AIV RNA. Conclusion: Since LPAI infections result in decreased or complete cessation of egg production in breeder and layer birds, increased infection severity due to co-infection with other poultry viruses have occasionally been transmitted to humans, the detection of LPAIV H5N2, H7N7 and H9N2 antibodies in these birds is of both economic and public health significance. These findings underscore the need for continuous flock monitoring as part of early warning measure to facilitate rapid detection and sustainable control of AI in Nigerian poultry

Dissemination of Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria Technology Through Inclusion of Cocoa Pod Husk in Poultry Feed to Substitute for Some Quantity of Maize in Adopted School

One of the major objectives of Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) is to investigate the effective utilization of the crops, by-products and the feasibility of small- scale production of such end-use product. Based on this objective, CPH is one of the major by-products of cocoa and has been utilized effectively by CRIN in the inclusion of poultry feeds. The adopted school’s concept was a collaboration between Agriculture Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN)/West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAPP) and CRIN. The poultry project in the school is to encourage secondary school students to develop interest in agriculture and encourage teachers to practice agriculture before and after retirement. This technology was disseminated to CRIN adopted school in feeding the birds. The inclusion of CPH in layers mash has reduced the quantity of maize by 20%. This was demonstrated by feeding equal numbers of birds with the conventional feed (controlled) and CPH fortified for 16 months (experimental). The result revealed that about N460 was saved on every 25kg of feed fortified with CPH compared to conventional feed with almost the same production result. This has brought a significant drop in amount spent on CPH fortified feed compared to the conventional feed thereby increasing the farmers profit

Prevalence of Antibodies to Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus in Ruminants, Nigeria, 2015.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is a highly transmissible human pathogen. Infection is often misdiagnosed, in part because of poor availability of data in disease-endemic areas. We sampled 150 apparently healthy ruminants throughout Nigeria for virus seropositivity and detected virus-specific IgG in cattle (24%) and goats (2%), highlighting the need for further investigations

Type 1 IP3 receptors activate BKCa channels via local molecular coupling in arterial smooth muscle cells

Plasma membrane large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BKCa) channels and sarcoplasmic reticulum inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptors (IP3Rs) are expressed in a wide variety of cell types, including arterial smooth muscle cells. Here, we studied BKCa channel regulation by IP3 and IP3Rs in rat and mouse cerebral artery smooth muscle cells. IP3 activated BKCa channels both in intact cells and in excised inside-out membrane patches. IP3 caused concentration-dependent BKCa channel activation with an apparent dissociation constant (Kd) of ∼4 µM at physiological voltage (−40 mV) and intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i; 10 µM). IP3 also caused a leftward-shift in BKCa channel apparent Ca2+ sensitivity and reduced the Kd for free [Ca2+]i from ∼20 to 12 µM, but did not alter the slope or maximal Po. BAPTA, a fast Ca2+ buffer, or an elevation in extracellular Ca2+ concentration did not alter IP3-induced BKCa channel activation. Heparin, an IP3R inhibitor, and a monoclonal type 1 IP3R (IP3R1) antibody blocked IP3-induced BKCa channel activation. Adenophostin A, an IP3R agonist, also activated BKCa channels. IP3 activated BKCa channels in inside-out patches from wild-type (IP3R1+/+) mouse arterial smooth muscle cells, but had no effect on BKCa channels of IP3R1-deficient (IP3R1−/−) mice. Immunofluorescence resonance energy transfer microscopy indicated that IP3R1 is located in close spatial proximity to BKCa α subunits. The IP3R1 monoclonal antibody coimmunoprecipitated IP3R1 and BKCa channel α and β1 subunits from cerebral arteries. In summary, data indicate that IP3R1 activation elevates BKCa channel apparent Ca2+ sensitivity through local molecular coupling in arterial smooth muscle cells

Chemical, antioxidant, functional and thermal properties of rice bran proteins after yeast and natural fermentations

The paper focuses on the chemical, antioxidant, functional and thermal properties of rice bran proteins after yeast, natural fermentations and unfermented rice bran. Protein content of yeast-fermented rice bran protein concentrate (YFRBPC), naturally fermented rice bran protein concentrate (NFRBPC) and unfermented rice protein concentrate (UFRBPC) were 72.50%, 68.92% and 65.73%, respectively, while ash content were 4.72%, 4.61% and 3.04%, respectively. The total amino acids of YFRBPC, NFRBPC and UFRBPC were 123.16, 118.45 and 99.39, respectively. DPPH radical inhibition of YFRBPC, NFRBPC and UFRBPC were 58.62%, 55.29% and 47.14%, respectively, while ferric reducing ability power were 0.73, 0.58 and 0.41 mmol TE per gram, respectively. The highest foam capacity of UFRBPC (57.56%), NFRBPC (64.15%) and YFRBPC (76.00%) was observed at pH 9.0. YFRBPC and NFRBPC were lighter in colour than UFRBPC. YFRBPC had higher denaturation temperature and enthalpy value than NFRBPC and UFRBPC. The β-sheets structures were more in YFRBPC and NFRBPC than UNFBPC