Retrospective study of bovine tuberculosis in Gombe Township Abattoir, Northeastern Nigeria

Estimated Prevalence of Tuberculosis in Ruminants from Slaughterhouses in Constantine Province (Northeastern Algeria): A 10-Year Retrospective Survey (2011–2020)

Tuberculosis (TB) is considered one of the most widespread and devastating zoonotic diseases in low-income countries, with a cosmopolitan distribution. The aim of this 10-year retrospective survey (from 2011 to 2020) was to determine the frequency of bovine, ovine, and goat tuberculosis in different local slaughterhouses across Constantine Province, Algeria. The control of livestock carcasses was systematically performed by veterinarian inspectors, after each stage of the slaughter process. The routine abattoir inspection included the detection of visible abnormalities on different organs and lymph nodes. The overall prevalence of tuberculosis recorded in slaughtered animals was 0.83%, with the following distribution among species: 2.73% in cattle, 0.001% in sheep, and 0.0% in goats. During the study period, there was a strong correlation (R = 0.82) (p < 0.01) between tuberculosis occurrence and the number of slaughtered cattle. Fluctuations in monthly TB prevalence ranged from 2% to 24.8% between 2018 and 2020, although there were no statistically significant correlations between infection and the age or gender of the animals, except for the year 2020 when a significantly higher (p = 0.017) percentage of TB cases were recorded in female cattle compared to male cattle. The average monthly weight of the confiscated livers and lungs ranged significantly (p ≤ 0.05) from 150 kg to 350 kg. The study results provide baseline data regarding livestock tuberculosis monitoring in the area of Constantine, Algeria, indicating that the disease incidence is not highly alarming, yet remains a serious public and animal health issue in the screened region.

Risk factors assessment of bovine tuberculosis among abattoir personnel in Gombe State, Northeastern Nigeria: A One-Health approach

Aim: Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is an important milk-borne zoonosis that affects cattle production and poses serious threat to public health. This study aimed at assessing the risk factors as well as the level of awareness, attitude, and practices of abattoir personnel toward bTB in Gombe Township Abattoir, Gombe State. Materials and Methods: A prospective survey was conducted between October 2015 and December 2015. During the survey, a total of 112 close-ended structured questionnaires were administered to the abattoir personnel to assess their level of awareness of bTB. Results: Of these respondents, the majority were males (79%), butchers (49%) and about 40% were under the productive age brackets of 26-35 years. Majority of the respondents (85.7%) were aware of the zoonotic nature of the disease. However, only a few of the respondents (44.6%) wear personal protective equipments (PPEs) clothes while handling or in contact with carcasses during the slaughtering process. Only a few among the respondents (24.1% and 31.2%) consumed unpasteurized milk and unaware of eating of improperly cooked meat as a risk factor of bTB, respectively. About 75.7% of the respondents believed that the habit of eating and drinking inside the abattoir and during slaughtering operations has no any significant effects on their health. The results obtained show a statistically significant association between respondents' awareness of bTB and their occupational status, duration of exposure to cattle carcasses, and knowledge about the disease (p<0.05); and the odds of being aware of bTB was 10.0, 5.07, and 4.2, respectively. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the need for public health authorities to intervene in bTB prevention and control through the creation of avenues for enlightenment on the zoonotic risk associated with bTB. The risk factors associated with bTB transmission as indicated by the personnel's practice and awareness levels in Gombe township abattoir are preventable through the use of PPEs clothing.

A retrospective study of bovine tuberculosis at the municipal abattoir of Bauchi State, Northeastern Nigeria

Background and Aim:

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) still remains a major zoonotic bacterial disease affecting livestock and humans worldwide. The disease remains a poorly managed tropical disease in most developing countries of the world; where in addition to productivity losses and significance in international trade, it posed a major public health threat to both humans and animals. A retrospective study was designed to investigate the occurrence of bTB lesions at Bauchi municipal abattoir.

Materials and Methods:

The study utilized abattoir records spanning a period of 10 years (2004-2013). The records indicated that a total of 1,08,638 heads of cattle comprising n = 56,070 males and n = 52,570 females were slaughtered at the municipal abattoir during the study period.

Result:

Of these heads, n = 1230 (1.13%) (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07, 1.19) had tuberculous lesions. The annual occurrence during the study period varied significantly (p<0.001) from 0.53% (95% CI: 0.40, 0.67) to 1.87% (95% CI: 1.66, 2.10) in 2010 and 2012, respectively. Females had a significantly higher (p<0.001) prevalence of 2.10% (95% CI: 1.98, 2.23) compared with the males 0.23% (95% CI: 0.19, 0.27). The distribution of suspected gross bTB lesions in different organs showed 11.87% in the lungs, 5.93% in the liver, 1.14% in the heart, and 0.49% accounted for generalized bTB. However, none was observed on the lymph nodes and intestines.

Conclusion:

It can be concluded that bTB persists in Bauchi State with annual variations during the study period. This study highlights the importance of meat inspection as an important tool for detecting the presence of bTB lesions.