Serological And Microbiological Studies Of Contagious Caprine Pleuropenumonia In Selected Districts Of Tanzania

Serological and microbiological studies were carried out to investigate the presence of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP) in Iringa, Mpwapwa, Kilosa and Morogoro districts, Tanzania. A total of 315 goats were examined clinically and 74 goats were subjected to pathological evaluation. Nasal swabs (175), lungs (74), pleural fluid (35) and lymph nodes (29) were cultured for mycoplasmological examination on Hayflickbased medium and a commercial freeze-dried CCPP diagnostic medium. A total of 1,927 sera were screened serologically using the latex agglutination test. The major clinical features of the sick goats were dyspnoea, coughing, muco-purulent nasal discharge and pyrexia, and 60 of 74 goats had pathological features suggestive of CCPP. The overall seropositivity in all the study districts was 53%. M. capripneumoniae was isolated from 18 of the 74 lungs, 12 of the 35 pleural fluid- and 6 of 31 lymph nodes. Other mycoplasma species were M. mycoides LC and M. ovipneumoniae. The isolation rate of M. capripneumoniae was higher on the CCPP diagnostic medium than on the Hayflick-based medium. This study has confirmed the presence of CCPP in Iringa, Mpwapwa, Kilosa and Morogoro districts of Tanzania thus, indicating that the disease is probably widespread and endemic in the country.Des études sérologiques et microbiologiques ont été menées pour enquêter sur la présence de la pleuropneumonie contagieuse caprine (PPCC) dans les districts d\' Iringa, de Mpwapwa, de Kilosa et de Morogoro en Tanzanie. Au total, 315 chèvres ont fait l\'objet d\'un examen clinique, tandis que 74 chèvres étaient soumises à une évaluation pathologique. Des prélèvements nasaux (175), des poumons (74), du liquide pleural (35) et des ganglions lymphatiques (29) étaient mis en culture pour l\'examen mycoplasmologique sur un milieu de culture à base de Hayflick et un milieu commercial lyophilisé de diagnostic de PPCC. Au total, 1927 sérums ont fait l\'objet d\'un examen sérologique à l\'aide d\'un test d\'agglutination en latex. Les principaux traits cliniques des chèvres malades étaient la dyspnée, la toux, l\'écoulement nasal mucopurulent et la pyrexie ; 60 des 74 chèvres avaient des traits pathologiques de la PPCC. La séropositivité globale dans tous les districts couverts par l\'étude était de 53%. M. capripneumoniae était isolé de 18 poumons sur 74 , de 12 liquides pleuraux sur 35 et de 6 ganglions lymphatiques sur 31. Les autres espèces de mycoplasme rencontrées étaient M. mycoides LC et M. ovipneumoniae. Le taux d\'isolement de M. capripneumoniae était plus élevé sur le milieu de diagnostic de PPCC que sur le milieu à base de Hayflick. Cette étude a confirmé la présence de PPCC dans les districts d\'Iringa, de Mpwapwa, de Kilosa et de Morogoro en Tanzanie, ce qui indique que la maladie est très répandue dans le pays.Bulletin of Animal Health and Production in Africa Vol. 55 (2) 2007: pp. 88-9

Constraints Associated With Production In Smallholder Dairy Farms In The Eastern Coastal Zone Of Tanzania

A study involving 105 smallholder dairy farmers was conducted in Kibaha and Morogoro districts, Tanzania to characterise husbandry practices, milk production constraints; and farmers\' knowledge on milk-borne zoonoses. About 50% of the farmers in Kibaha (n=57) and 60% in Morogoro (n=48) were employed in formal public and private sectors, and hired labour while only 16.5% depended entirely on dairy farming. The average milk production was 5.9 litres/cow/day. Seventy-two percent of the farmers in Kibaha and 83.3% in Morogoro practised stall-feeding while others either tethered or herded the animals. Dairy production constraints included animal diseases; shortage of feeds, water and markets for milk; lack of animal breeding services and shortage of capital. The major cattle diseases were trypanosomosis, East Coast fever, anaplasmosis and mastitis. Only 14% of the farmers were aware of subclinical mastitis, and 67% of them were aware of milk-borne zoonoses especially tuberculosis while only 10% farmers knew about brucellosis.On a mené une étude portant sur 105 petites exploitations laitières dans les districts de Kibaha et Morogoro en Tanzanie, en vue de déterminer les modes d\'élevage, la production laitière, les obstacles rencontrés et la connaissance des éleveurs sur les zoonoses d\'origine laitière. Environ 50% des éleveurs à Kibaha (n = 57) et 60% à Morogoro (n = 48) étaient employés dans les secteurs public et privé ; seuls 16,5% dépendaient entièrement de l\'élevage laitier. La production moyenne de lait était de 5,9 litres/vache/jour. 72% des éleveurs à Kibaha et 83,3% à Morogoro avaient recours à l\'alimentation à l\'étable, tandis que les autres attachaient leur bétail au piquet ou gardaient leurs animaux. Les entraves à la production laitière étaient les suivantes : les maladies animales, la pénurie d\'aliments et d\'eau, l\'absence de marchés pour écouler le lait, l\'absence de services de reproduction et le manque de capital. Les principales maladies bovines étaient : la trypanosomose, la fièvre de la côte-Est, l\'anaplasmose et la mammite. Seuls 14% des éleveurs connaissaient la mammite infraclinique, parmi lesquels 67% étaient au courant des zoonoses d\'origine laitière, notamment la tuberculose, et 10% connaissaient la brucellose.Bulletin of Animal Health and Production in Africa Vol. 54 (4) 2006: pp. 286-29

Molecular epidemiology of mastitis pathogens of dairy cattle and comparative relevance to humans

Mastitis, inflammation of the mammary gland, can be caused by a wide range of organisms, including gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, mycoplasmas and algae. Many microbial species that are common causes of bovine mastitis, such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus agalactiae and Staphylococcus aureus also occur as commensals or pathogens of humans whereas other causative species, such as Streptococcus uberis, Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. dysgalactiae or Staphylococcus chromogenes, are almost exclusively found in animals. A wide range of molecular typing methods have been used in the past two decades to investigate the epidemiology of bovine mastitis at the subspecies level. These include comparative typing methods that are based on electrophoretic banding patterns, library typing methods that are based on the sequence of selected genes, virulence gene arrays and whole genome sequencing projects. The strain distribution of mastitis pathogens has been investigated within individual animals and across animals, herds, countries and host species, with consideration of the mammary gland, other animal or human body sites, and environmental sources. Molecular epidemiological studies have contributed considerably to our understanding of sources, transmission routes, and prognosis for many bovine mastitis pathogens and to our understanding of mechanisms of host-adaptation and disease causation. In this review, we summarize knowledge gleaned from two decades of molecular epidemiological studies of mastitis pathogens in dairy cattle and discuss aspects of comparative relevance to human medicine