Internal parasites of equines and associated risk factors in and around Guder town, West Shewa, central Ethiopia

Internal parasites directly affect the health and production of working equines, which contributes to the reduction in their work output and ultimately in the income of the owner and the community. A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2016 to April 2017 in and around Guder town, west Shewa, central Ethiopia to estimate the prevalence of equine internal parasites and assess the potential associated risk factors. A total of 384 faecal samples from equine species (152 donkeys, 107 horses, 125 mules) were collected and examined for the presence of eggs of parasites using standard coprological methods. Out of these, 341(88.8%) equines were found positive for one or more internal parasites. The prevalence of internal parasites in donkeys, horses, and mules was 95.4%, 89.7%, and 80% respectively.Out of 341 positive samples, the species of parasites found were Strongylus spp. (40.8%), Parascaris equorum, (25.5%), Oxyuris equi, (17.6%), Strongyloides species(8.8%), Fasciola (10.6%), Dictyocoulus arnifieldi,(10%) and Anoplocephala species (1.5%). Single (86.2%) and mixed (13.8%) parasite species. There was significant difference (p<0.05) in the prevalence between species (χ2= 16.47, p=0.001) and the purpose of keeping equines (χ2=12.41, p=0.006) in which more number of donkeys and pack animals were positive for parasites than other animals. However, there was no statistically significant difference among, age, sex, house, feed, and body conditions of study animals. In conclusion, this study revealed that the occurrence of internal parasites in equine species in the study area was common phenomenon, especially in donkeys. Hence,strategic prevention and control of internal parasites should be implemented.Keywords: Distribution; Equines; Guder town; Identification; Internal parasite

Occurrence of Listeria in food chilling facilities of the different campuses in Haramaya University, Ethiopia

Ready-to-eat food could act as sources of Listeria posing foodborne listeriosis. This study was aimed to assess Listeria along selected institutes food chilling, Ethiopia. A total of 230 samples (115 from refrigerator and 115 from the food items within the respective refrigerator) were tested. An overall 32.4% ranging from 7.8 to 45.0% Listeria were observed in total samples. Listeria was high in Campus-A (OR = 9.6, 95%OR CI = 3.2–31.5), Campus-B (OR = 8.6, 95%OR CI = 3.2–26.4) and Campus-D (OR = 7.1, 95%OR CI = 2.2–26.3) than in Campus-C (7.8%) were observed (p = 0.00). Of the total 115 samples from the refrigerator, 38 (33.0%) were positive for Listeria with significantly lowers (9.4%) in Campus-C than in others (35.0%–45.8%) (χ2 = 11.87; p = 0.008). High (31.3%) food items were Listeria positive from Campus-C than in others (29.2%–55.0%) (χ2 = 16.33; p = 0.001). Of 115 paired samples, food alone (11.3%), refrigerator alone (13.0%) and co-contamination (20.0%) were observed. The refrigerator used for beef, milk and poultry were found positive for Listeria at 33.0%, 44.4% and 33.3% with the food themselves too, at rate of 32.0%, 22.2% and 50.0%, respectively. Refrigerator used for tomato and butter storage and the respective food items were Listeria negative. Co-contamination of both the refrigerator and the food indicated the need raw food safety. Keywords: Refrigerator, Food items, Listeria, Co-contamination, Campus, Ethiopi

Farm animal health managements and treatment practices at Diga district, East Wollega zone of Oromia regional state

Farm animal health problems with respective management, local knowledge and treatment options with prognosis were assessed in Diga district, Wollega-Oromia, Ethiopia from November 2014. Randomly selected farm animals with clinical cases being cattle (n=175), sheep (n=74), equine (n=38), poultry (n=27) and goat (n=3) presented at the clinic were studied. Animal sex, age, species and body condition were considered. Cases were characterized and determined using tentative diagnosis and patho-gnomonic signs. The owners were also interviewed for local name of the disease. The respective therapeutic drugs used were also assessed. Male cattle (57.7%), poultry (76.3%) and goat (66.7) were frequently presented to the Veterinary clinic than respective female while the reverse is true in sheep and equine. In total, the cases of gastrointestinal (GIT) (29.7%), skin and integuments (22.1%), cardiovascular (18.0%), respiratory diseases (14.2%), production problems (5.0%), musculoskeletal (4.7%), neuromuscular (3.8%) and reproductive system (2.5%) were observed in increasing order. With regards to specific diseases, trypanosomes (23.4%), lumpy skin disease (13.7%), black-leg (8.6%), babesiosis (7.4%), mangemites (6.9%), fasciolosis (5.7%), mastitis (4.6%), GIT parasites (4.6%), CBPP (4.0%) and tick infestation (3.4%) in cattle; fasciolosis (21.6%), pneumonia(13.5%), orf and pasteurellosis (8.1%), and mangemites, GIT parasites, CCPP, hypocalcemia each (6.8%) in sheep; orf (33.3%) and CCPP (33.3%) in goat were observed. Colic (31.6%), tetanus (26.9%), wound (18.4%) and pneumonic (10.5%) were frequent in equines while coccidian (55.6%) and NCD (40.7%) in poultry. Most of the cases and diseases are also known with local language. Oxyteteracycline, penstreap, deminazin aceturat and albendazole were frequently used drugs for the treatment of the aforementioned farm animal health problems with good (86.8%) but 13.2% poor prognoses. Discussion of the finding on health problems in this article was made for respective farm animal. The survey indicated infectious diseases, parasitic cases, and nutritional deficiency and management problems as major heath constraints for livestock development in the area. Thus, a need for expansion of quality Veterinary services and improvement in the feeding system with detail study on specific disease on each groups of farm animal in the area.Key Words: Animal health, Diga, Veterinary Clinic, Prognosi

Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern of E. coli O157:H7 Isolated from Traditionally Marketed Raw Cow Milk in and around Asosa Town, Western Ethiopia

A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2014 to July 2015 to determine the prevalence and populations of E. coli as well as the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of E. coli O157:H7 isolated from raw milk. Biochemical and serological tests methods were used to confirm E. coli and E. coli O157:H7 and isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility test using the agar disc diffusion method. Out of 380 raw milk samples examined, 129 (33.9%) and 11 (2.9%) were contaminated with E. coli and E. coli O157:H7, respectively. The highest prevalence was recorded in samples obtained from vendors (39.1%, 4.978 ± 0.180 log10/ml) compared with samples from farmers (28.1%, 3.93 ± 0.01 log10/ml) with significant differences (P=0.02). The frequency of contamination was higher in the samples collected from milk that was stored and transported in plastic containers (39.4%) than in the containers made of stainless steel (23.0%) (P=0.002). The antimicrobial susceptibility profile showed that E. coli O157:H7 were resistant to tetracycline (81.8%), streptomycin (81.8%), and kanamycin (63.6%). Milk samples were produced and handled under poor hygienic conditions, stored, and transported in inappropriate containers and under temperature abuse conditions leading to high health risk to the consumers. Additional studies would be needed to establish association between the occurrences of E. coli O157:H7 in raw milk and all the risk factors involved in and around Asosa town

Occurrence of Diarrheagenic Pathogens and Their Coinfection Profiles in Diarrheic Under Five Children and Tracked Human Contacts in Urban and Rural Settings of Eastern Ethiopia

Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli , Campylobacter , Nontyphoidal Salmonella , and Shigella are common cause of childhood diarrhea in countries like Ethiopia, but data on their sources and coinfection profiles is limited. A cross sectional study was conducted from November 2021 to January 2023 to determine the prevalence, coinfection, and monthly occurrence rates of major diarrheagenic bacteria in diarrheic under five children and asymptomatic contacts at urban and rural settings in Ethiopia. A total of 345 stool samples were collected from; 262 diarrheic children visiting Hiwot Fana Hospital, Kersa, and Adelle Health Centers; and 83 caretakers and siblings through case based contact tracing. Samples were analyzed using standard laboratory procedures and the overall prevalence of enteric pathogens was 26.96%, with the highest isolation rate during the winter and peaks of 73.91% in February. The occurrence of the pathogens in children and tracked contacts was 27.86 and 24.09%, respectively. In our study, 8.53% coinfection and 23.66% single pathogen infection was recorded in diarrheic children. The study also showed 4.51 and 3.88% of diarrhea in children from urban and rural had attributed to bacterial coinfection, respectively. The most prevalent pathogen in diarrheic children was Diarrheagenic E. coli (10.31%), and followed by Campylobacter . On the other hand, Diarrheagenic E. coli was the second dominant bacteria following Shigella in the traced contacts, with prevalence of 8.43% and 9.64%, respectively. Based on the study site, the prevalence of Diarrheagenic E. coli and Nontyphoidal Salmonella was higher in children from urban than those from rural. However, the occurrence of each pathogen had no significant differences ( P  > .05) between settings. The high pathogens occurrence rate in the current study indicates the need for strong control strategies and better child carrying and treatment of diarrheal diseases at both urban and rural settings. Further studies on possible sources and factors attributing to the occurrence of enteric pathogens in children are also recommended

Occurrence of Diarrheagenic Pathogens and Their Coinfection Profiles in Diarrheic Under Five Children and Tracked Human Contacts in Urban and Rural Settings of Eastern Ethiopia

Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli, Campylobacter, Nontyphoidal Salmonella, and Shigella are common cause of childhood diarrhea in countries like Ethiopia, but data on their sources and coinfection profiles is limited. A cross sectional study was conducted from November 2021 to January 2023 to determine the prevalence, coinfection, and monthly occurrence rates of major diarrheagenic bacteria in diarrheic under five children and asymptomatic contacts at urban and rural settings in Ethiopia. A total of 345 stool samples were collected from; 262 diarrheic children visiting Hiwot Fana Hospital, Kersa, and Adelle Health Centers; and 83 caretakers and siblings through case based contact tracing. Samples were analyzed using standard laboratory procedures and the overall prevalence of enteric pathogens was 26.96%, with the highest isolation rate during the winter and peaks of 73.91% in February. The occurrence of the pathogens in children and tracked contacts was 27.86 and 24.09%, respectively. In our study, 8.53% coinfection and 23.66% single pathogen infection was recorded in diarrheic children. The study also showed 4.51 and 3.88% of diarrhea in children from urban and rural had attributed to bacterial coinfection, respectively. The most prevalent pathogen in diarrheic children was Diarrheagenic E. coli (10.31%), and followed by Campylobacter. On the other hand, Diarrheagenic E. coli was the second dominant bacteria following Shigella in the traced contacts, with prevalence of 8.43% and 9.64%, respectively. Based on the study site, the prevalence of Diarrheagenic E. coli and Nontyphoidal Salmonella was higher in children from urban than those from rural. However, the occurrence of each pathogen had no significant differences (P > .05) between settings. The high pathogens occurrence rate in the current study indicates the need for strong control strategies and better child carrying and treatment of diarrheal diseases at both urban and rural settings. Further studies on possible sources and factors attributing to the occurrence of enteric pathogens in children are also recommended

Reproductive Diseases and Disorders of Female Camels: An Assessment and Pathological and Bacteriological Study in Eastern Ethiopia

Camels are the most efficient domesticated animals in arid and semiarid areas of the world. In Ethiopia, they are the main livestock kept to sustain the livelihoods of pastoralists, as camels are used for milk and meat production and also for transportation. However, she-camel reproductive diseases are one of the major constraints for camel-producing communities. A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2018 to December 2019 to identify and characterize pathological lesions and isolate possible bacteria associated with reproductive diseases and disorders in she-camels slaughtered at Dire Dawa and Babille municipal abattoirs. A total of 155 study animals were examined by recruiting all she-camels slaughtered during every abattoir visit. Overall, 562 reproductive organs, the ovaries, oviducts, uterus, and cervix, were examined through observation, palpation, and incision, and the animal- and organ-level pathological lesion prevalence were found to be 29% and 64.6%, respectively. Degenerative changes, inflammatory lesions (endometritis and salpingitis), growth disturbances (e.g., ovarian hypoplasia), and noninflammatory lesions (e.g., noninflammatory edema) were the identified pathological lesions. Occurrences of pathological changes among reproductive organs had differences where significantly the highest proportion (p = 0.00) was observed in the uteri. Of the 119 microbiological samples processed, 77.3% were positive for single or mixed bacterial genera, from which 7 different bacterial isolates and 14 other unidentified Gram-negative bacteria were detected. E. coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus spp. were the most frequently isolated organisms with 28.2%, 26.9%, and 12.8% frequencies, respectively. The result of the questionnaire survey showed 74% of the respondents had culled the she-camel at productive age because of poor reproductive performance associated with refused mating, abortion, and repeat breeding (poor conception). On the other hand, a majority of camel herders had poor to no information and access to modern veterinary services; nevertheless, they had good indigenous knowledge on how to manage reproductive abnormalities. Considering the importance of camels in our study area, further research on camel reproductive diseases and abnormalities with wider sample and epidemiology need to be conducted using molecular and hormonal assay techniques