Veterinary Labratory Technology

Background and Aim: Camel brucellosis is a contagious bacterial disease that hinders the productivity of camels, ruminant animals, humans and other suspectable animals. It has public healthy, veterinary and economic importance. However, the status and information of camel brucellosis in the East Bale pastoral area is unknown. Materials and Method: A cross-sectional study design was conducted from September 2020-2021 in the Rayitu, Sawena and Lega Hida districts of the Bale zone to estimate the seroprevalence and assess putative risk factors of camel brucellosis. A multi-stage clustering and random sampling technique were employed for the selection of sampling units. A total of 384 sera samples were harvested from blood samples collected by plain vacutainer tubes and tested by complement fixation test at the National Animal Health Diagnostic and Investigation Center laboratory, Sebeta. Results: Out of 384 examined sera 1.04% (4/384) were seropositive by Complement Fixation Test. The seroprevalence camel brucellosis was higher (X =3.537, P=0.049) in Rayitu (3/128, 2.34%) than Sawena (1/128, 0.78%) and was not recorded in Lega 2 Hida districts (0/128, 0.0%). The history of abortion (X2=23.675, P=0.000) has a strong association with the seropositivity of camel brucellosis. Conclusions: The current study showed that camel brucellosis was evident in Rayitu and Sawena districts but was not recorded in other districts. Abortion history strongly associated infection of camel with brucella species. Further study should be designed and implemented to isolate and detect at the molecular level of Brucella strains of camels in the study area.

Foodborne infections are widespread and growing public health problems in the world. Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157 : H7 is one of the most significant foodborne pathogens. is study was conducted to assess the occurrence and antibiogram of E. coli O157 : H7 from raw beef as well as hygienic and sanitary practices of meat handling in abattoir and retailer shops. Systematic random sampling technique and census methods were used to collect samples from abattoir and retailer shops, respectively. All tryptone soya broth preenriched carcass samples were subcultured onto MacConkey agar. en, the bacterium confirmed as Escherichia coli using biochemical tests was streaked onto Sorbitol-MacConkey agar and incubated at 37°C for 24 hrs. Escherichia coli O157 : H7 was confirmed by latex agglutination kit. In vitro antimicrobial susceptibility test of Escherichia coli O157 : H7 isolates was done against 13 antimicrobials. Hygiene and sanitation data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire and observational checklist. Pearson Chi-square and Fisher's exact two-tailed tests were performed and differences were considered significant at P ≤ 0.05. Out of 197 meat samples, 23.4% (95% confidence interval (CI): 17.6-29.9%) and 9.1% (95% CI: 5.5-14.1%) were contaminated with Escherichia coli and Escherichia coli O157 : H7, respectively. ere was a significant variation in the occurrence of Escherichia coli O157 : H7 between retailer shops (19.1%) and abattoir (7.2%) (P � 0.03). e study revealed that the municipal abattoir and retailer shops in Ambo town did not adhere to the required sanitation and hygienic standards. All Escherichia coli O157 : H7 isolates were susceptible to norfloxacin, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, chloramphenicol, and ceftazidime. However, all isolates were resistant to amoxicillin. Multidrug resistance was widespread and was found in 66.3% of Escherichia coli O157 : H7 isolates. e occurrence of Escherichia coli O157 : H7 was high. erefore, fulfilling national and international meat safety requirements, training and monitoring of meat handlers, and rational use of antimicrobials are recommended

Background. Salmonella has been recognized as a major cause of food-borne illness associated with the consumption of food of animal origin. e present cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2017 to May 2018 in Ambo and Holeta towns to assess the prevalence, risk factors, and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of nontyphoidal Salmonella isolates from raw beef samples from abattoirs, butchers, and restaurants in Ambo and Holeta towns, Oromia region, Ethiopia. Methods. A total of 354 beef samples were collected from abattoirs, butchers, and restaurants. Salmonella isolation and identification were carried out using standard bacteriological methods recommended by the International Organization for Standardization. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the disk diffusion method. Besides, a structured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic data and potential risk factors for contamination of meat. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used for data analyses. Results. Of the total 354 meat samples examined, 20 (5.7%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.5-8.6) were positive for Salmonella. Two serotypes belonging to S. typhimurium (11 isolates) and I:4,5,12: i:-(9 isolates) were identified. e Salmonella detection rate in abattoirs, butchers, and restaurants was 4.2% (5/118), 8.5% (10/118), and 4.2% (5/118), respectively. e antimicrobial susceptibility test showed that 40%, 30%, and 20% of the Salmonella isolates were resistant to azithromycin, amoxicillin, and ceftriaxone, respectively. e odds of Salmonella isolation when meat handlers are illiterate were 7.8 times higher than those when they are educated to the level of secondary and above (P � 0.032). Similarly, the likelihood of Salmonella isolation was 6.3 and 7.6 times higher among workers of butcher and restaurants, respectively, who had no training (P � 0.003) and no knowledge (P � 0.010) on food safety and hygiene. Conclusions. e study showed widespread multidrug-resistant Salmonella isolates in the study areas. erefore, raw meat consumption and indiscriminate use of antimicrobial drugs should be discouraged. Provision of food safety education for meat handlers and further surveillance of antimicrobial-resistant isolates are suggested.

Infectious bursal disease, also known as Gumboro disease, is a highly contagious and acute viral disease of poultry characterised by the destruction of lymphoid cells. Diagnosis of infectious bursal disease involves consideration of the flocks’ history, clinical signs, and lesions. The objectives of this paper are to highlight various commonly used diagnostic methods for infectious bursal disease and to review advances made in diagnostic methods and vaccination strategies for infectious bursal disease, with special emphasis on the strengths and weaknesses of each of those techniques. Isolation of infectious bursal disease virus followed by its serological assay and histopathological examination of the bursa is regarded as the gold standard method of infectious bursal disease diagnosis. Serological tests such as agar gel, immune diffusion, enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay, and viral neutralisation tests are commonly used laboratory assays in diagnosing infectious bursal disease viruses. Recently, the most accurate and relatively fast diagnostic method, the molecular technique, is widely used. The molecular diagnostic technique is the simplest and most sensitive of the diagnostic techniques reviewed. The virus causes immunosuppression, so the infected chicken recovers from the acute disease but becomes more susceptible to infections by other pathogens. Therefore, prevention is important and vaccination has become the principal control measure of infectious bursal disease virus infection in chickens. Conventional attenuated live and killed vaccines are the most commonly used vaccines. With the advancement of knowledge and technology, new generation or genetically-engineered vaccines like deoxyribonucleic acid and subunit vaccines have been used. Various vaccination strategies, such as in ovo, at hatch, and post hatch vaccination, are used. Hatchery vaccination is becoming a common practice. Based on this review paper, more affordable and effective infectious bursal disease vaccines that are affordable and readily available must be identified with further cost-benefit analysis.