Prevention, detection, and response to anthrax outbreak in Northern Tanzania using one health approach: A case study of Selela ward in Monduli district

Research (Published online: 04-11-2017)

11. Prevention, detection, and response to anthrax outbreak in Northern Tanzania using one health approach: A case study of Selela ward in Monduli district - Elibariki R. Mwakapeje, Justine A. Assenga, John S. Kunda, Ernest E. Mjingo, Zachariah E. Makondo, Hezron E. Nonga, Robinson H. Mdegela and Eystein Skjerve

International Journal of One Health, 3: 66-76

doi: 10.14202/IJOH.2017.66-76

Abstract

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Background: Anthrax is an infectious fatal zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax outbreak was confirmed in samples of wild animals following rumors of the outbreak in wild animals, livestock, and humans in Selela ward, Monduli district of Northern Tanzania. Therefore, a multi-sectorial team was deployed for outbreak response in the affected areas.

Objectives: The aim of the response was to manage the outbreak in a One Health approach and specifically: (i) To determine the magnitude of anthrax outbreak in humans, livestock, and wild animals in Selela ward, (ii) to assess the outbreak local response capacity, (iii) to establish mechanisms for safe disposal of animal carcasses in the affected areas, and (iv) to mount effective control and preventive strategies using One Health approach in the affected areas.

Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional field survey using: (i) Active searching of suspected human cases at health facilities and community level, (ii) physical counting and disposal of wild animal carcasses in the affected area, (iii) collection of specimens from suspected human cases and animal carcasses for laboratory analysis, and (iv) meetings with local animal and human health staff, political, and traditional leaders at local levels. We analyzed data by STATA software, and a map was created using Quantum GIS software.

Results: A total of 21 humans were suspected, and most of them (62%) being from Selela ward. The outbreak caused deaths of 10 cattle, 26 goats, and three sheep, and 131 wild animal carcasses were discarded the majority of them being wildebeest (83%). Based on laboratory results, three blood smears tested positive for anthrax using Giemsa staining while two wildebeest samples tested positive and five human blood samples tested negative for anthrax using quantitative polymerase chain reaction techniques. Clinical forms of anthrax were also observed in humans and livestock which suggest that wild animals may contribute as reservoir of anthrax which can easily be transmitted to humans and livestock.

Conclusion: The rapid outbreak response by multi-sectoral teams using a One Health approach managed to contain the outbreak. The teams were composed of animal and human health experts from national to village levels to control the outbreak. The study testifies the importance of multi-sectoral approach using One Health approach in outbreak preparedness and response.

Keywords: anthrax outbreak, human – livestock and wild animal’s interface, response, Tanzania.

Nutritional enrichment of broiler breast meat through dietary supplementation of Indian ginseng Withania somnifera and synbiotic substances under semi-arid climatic conditions

Research (Published online: 03-11-2017)

3. Nutritional enrichment of broiler breast meat through dietary supplementation of Indian ginseng Withania somnifera and synbiotic substances under semi-arid climatic conditions

Sonal Thakur, Tribhuwan Sharma, Radhe Shyam Arya, Basant Bais and Vijay Kumar Agrawal

Veterinary World, 10(11): 1301-1306

ABSTRACT

Aim: The present study was conducted to explore the effect of supplementation of Withania somnifera and synbiotics alone or in combination on the composition of broiler breast meat under heat stress conditions.

Materials and Methods: A 42-day feeding trial was conducted on 360 broiler chicks randomly allotted into eight treatment groups with three replicates each under completely randomized design. The T1 group was kept as control whereas T2-T4 were supplemented with 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5% W. somnifera root powder; T5 and T6 were supplemented with 0.025% and 0.050% synbiotic and T7 and T8 were fed on diet containing 0.25% W. somnifera+0.025% synbiotic and 0.50% W. somnifera+0.05% synbiotic, respectively. Three broilers from each replicate were sacrificed at the end of the trial to estimate crude protein (CP), ether extract and ash content of the breast muscle on dry matter basis.

Results: Significantly higher CP values and lower ether extract values were observed in 1.5% W. somnifera supplemented group (T4) or in group supplemented with 0.50% W. somnifera and 0.05% synbiotic (T8). The ash content of breast meat was observed non-significant in T1-T4 groups however the inclusion of synbiotics in T5-T8 groups significantly raised the ash contents.

Conclusion: The study concluded that inclusion of 0.5% W. somnifera with 0.05% synbiotic substance enriches the total protein content and reduces the total lipids content of broiler breast meat under heat stress conditions.

Keywords: breast meat, broiler, heat stress, synbiotics, Withania somnifera.

Preliminary study of Malaysian fruit bats species diversity in Lenggong Livestock Breeding Center, Perak: Potential risk of spill over infection

Research (Published online: 02-11-2017)

2. Preliminary study of Malaysian fruit bats species diversity in Lenggong Livestock Breeding Center, Perak: Potential risk of spill over infection

Muhammed Mikail, T. A. Tengku Rinalfi Putra, Arshad Siti Suri, Mohd Noor Mohd Hezmee and M. T. Marina

Veterinary World, 10(11): 1297-1300

ABSTRACT

Aim: Farms that are neighboring wildlife sanctuaries are at risk of spillover infection from wildlife, and the objective of this research is to examine the species diversity of Malaysian fruit bats in livestock farm in determining the possible risk of spill over infection to livestock.

Materials and Methods: Fifty individual fruit bats were captured using six mists net, from May to July 2017. The nets were set at dusk (1830 h) as bats emerge for foraging and monitored at every 30-min intervals throughout the night until dawn when they returned to the roost. The nets were closed for the day until next night, and captured bats were identified to species levels.

Results: All the captured bats were mega chiropterans, and Cynopterus brachyotis was the highest captured species, representing 40% of the total capture. Shannon-Weiner index is 2.80, and Simpson index is 0.2. Our result suggests that there is a degree of species dominance with low diversity in Lenggong Livestock Breeding Center.

Conclusion: We concluded that fruit bats are indeed, encroaching livestock areas and the species identified could be a potential source of infection to susceptible livestock. Hence, an active surveillance should be embarked on farms that border wildlife sanctuaries.

Keywords: Fruit bats, Lyssaviruses, Nipah virus, Wildlife sanctuaries, Zoonotic diseases.

Genotyping of virulent Escherichia coli obtained from poultry and poultry farm workers using enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-polymerase chain reaction

Research (Published online: 01-11-2017)

1. Genotyping of virulent Escherichia coli obtained from poultry and poultry farm workers using enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-polymerase chain reaction

M. Soma Sekhar, N. Mohammad Sharif, T. Srinivasa Rao and M. Metta

Veterinary World, 10(11): 1292-1296

ABSTRACT

Aim: The aim of this study was to characterize virulent Escherichia coli isolated from different poultry species and poultry farm workers using enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR) genotyping.

Materials and Methods: Fecal swabs from different poultry species (n=150) and poultry farm workers (n=15) were analyzed for E. coli and screened for virulence genes (stx1, stx2, eaeA, and hlyA) by multiplex PCR. Virulent E. coli was serotyped based on their "O" antigen and then genotyped using ERIC-PCR.

Results: A total of 134 E. coli isolates (122/150 from poultry and 12/15 from farm workers) were recovered. Virulence genes were detected in a total of 12 isolates. Serological typing of the 12 virulent E. coli revealed nine different serotypes (O2, O49, O60, O63, O83, O101, O120, UT, and Rough). ERIC-PCR genotyping allowed discrimination of 12 virulent E. coli isolates into 11 ERIC-PCR genotypes. The numerical index of discrimination was 0.999.

Conclusion: Our findings provide information about the wide genetic diversity and discrimination of virulent E. coli in apparently healthy poultry and poultry farm workers of Andhra Pradesh (India) based on their genotype.

Keywords: Escherichia coli, enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-polymerase chain reaction, genotype, poultry, serotype, virulent.

Survivin expression in canine spontaneous cutaneous and subcutaneous tumors and its prognostic importance

Research (Published online: 31-10-2017)

20. Survivin expression in canine spontaneous cutaneous and subcutaneous tumors and its prognostic importance

N. Kavya, S. Rao, M. L. Sathyanarayana, H. D. Narayanaswamy, S. M. Byregowda, L. Ranganath, A. Kamaran, K. M. Purushotham and T. K. Kishore

Veterinary World, 10(10): 1286-1291

ABSTRACT

Aim: The present study was carried out to know the expression level of survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis protein with an objective to determine its prognostic importance in cutaneous and subcutaneous tissue tumors of dogs.

Materials and Methods: Forty cases of canine cutaneous and subcutaneous tissue tumors on histopathological examination revealed various round cell, epithelial, and mesenchymal cell tumors. Survivin gene expression was detected in all tumors tested by TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction assay by comparative cycle threshold method.

Results: The mean survivin gene expression value of benign tumors was 0.94±0.63 folds and that of malignant tumors was 18.87±5.30 folds. Postsurgical follow up of 30 malignant tumor cases revealed death in 8, recurrence in 7, and neoplastic free alive status in 15 dogs with mean survivin fold difference values of 48.49±12.39, 14.63±6.37, and 5.034±2.27, respectively. The mean survivin gene expression value was significantly higher in malignant (30 cases, 18.87±5.30) compared to benign tumors (10 cases, 0.94±0.63), and it varied between various postsurgical follow-up groups (p<0.05). Survival analysis, using survivin gene expression median cutoff value of 3.74 in 30 malignant tumors, was performed to predict probable survival period in malignant cutaneous and subcutaneous tumors of dogs.

Conclusion: Results of the present study indicated that the expression of survivin in canine cutaneous and subcutaneous tumors has prognostic value, and survivin expression greater than median cutoff value of 3.74 has a poor prognosis.

Keywords: cutaneous and subcutaneous tumors, prognostic value, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, survivin.

Virulence and extended-spectrum β-lactamase encoding genes in Escherichia coli recovered from chicken meat intended for hospitalized human consumption

Research (Published online: 28-10-2017)

19. Virulence and extended-spectrum β-lactamase encoding genes in Escherichia coli recovered from chicken meat intended for hospitalized human consumption

Gamal A. Younis, Rasha M. Elkenany, Mohamed A. Fouda and Noura F. Mostafa

Veterinary World, 10(10): 1281-1285

ABSTRACT

Aim: This study describes the prevalence of Escherichia coli in frozen chicken meat intended for human consumption with emphasis on their virulence determinants through detection of the virulence genes and recognition of the extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) encoding genes (blaOXA and blaTEM genes).

Materials and Methods: A total of 120 frozen chicken meat samples were investigated for isolation of E. coli. All isolates were subjected to biochemical and serological tests. Eight serotypes isolated from samples were analyzed for the presence of various virulence genes (stx1, stx2, and eae A genes) using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. Moreover, the strains were evaluated for the ESBL encoding genes (blaTEMand blaOXA).

Results: Overall, 11.66% (14/120) chicken meat samples carried E. coli according to cultural and biochemical properties. The most predominant serotypes were O78 and O128: H2 (21.5%, each), followed by O121: H7 and O44: H18. Molecular method detected that 2 strains (25%) harbored stx1, 3 strains (37.5%) stx2, and 3 strains (37.5%) both stx1 and stx2, while 1 (12.5%) strain carried eae A gene. Particularly, only O26 serotype had all tested virulence genes (stx1, stx2, and eae A). The results revealed that all examined 8 serotypes were Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). The ESBL encoding genes (blaTEM and blaOXA) of STEC were detected in 4 (50%) isolates by multiplex PCR. The overall incidence of blaTEM and blaOXA genes was 3 (37.5%) and 2 (25%) isolates.

Conclusion: The present study indicates the prevalence of virulent and ESBL-producing E. coli in frozen chicken meat intended for hospitalized human consumption due to poor hygienic measures and irregular use of antibiotics. Therefore, the basic instructions regarding good hygienic measures should be adapted to limit public health hazard.

Keywords: blaOXA, blaTEM, eaeA, Escherichia coli, extended-spectrum β-lactamases, stx1, stx2.

Bovine origin Staphylococcus aureus: A new zoonotic agent?

Research (Published online: 26-10-2017)

18. Bovine origin Staphylococcus aureus: A new zoonotic agent?

Relangi Tulasi Rao, Kannan Jayakumar and Pavitra Kumar

Veterinary World, 10(10): 1275-1280

ABSTRACT

Aim: The study aimed to assess the nature of animal origin Staphylococcus aureus strains. The study has zoonotic importance and aimed to compare virulence between two different hosts, i.e., bovine and ovine origin.

Materials and Methods: Conventional polymerase chain reaction-based methods used for the characterization of S. aureus strains and chick embryo model employed for the assessment of virulence capacity of strains. All statistical tests carried on R program, version 3.0.4.

Results: After initial screening and molecular characterization of the prevalence of S. aureus found to be 42.62% in bovine origin samples and 28.35% among ovine origin samples. Meanwhile, the methicillin-resistant S. aureus prevalence is found to be meager in both the hosts. Among the samples, only 6.8% isolates tested positive for methicillin resistance. The biofilm formation quantified and the variation compared among the host. A Welch two-sample t-test found to be statistically significant, t=2.3179, df=28.103, and p=0.02795. Chicken embryo model found effective to test the pathogenicity of the strains.

Conclusion: The study helped to conclude healthy bovines can act as S. aureus reservoirs. Bovine origin S. aureus strains are more virulent than ovine origin strains. Bovine origin strains have high probability to become zoonotic pathogen. Further, gene knock out studies may be conducted to conclude zoonocity of the bovine origin strains.

Keywords: chicken embryo model, Staphylococcus aureus, virulence, zoonotic agent.