This study aimed to characterize Brucella spp., and other abortigenic pathogens from aborted tissues of cattle from five selected districts of Rwanda. For cattle, aborted tissues (n=19) were collected, cultured, and Brucella spp. were detected using genus-specific 16S-23S ribosomal DNA interspacer region (ITS) assay and further speciated using AMOS and Bruce-ladder PCR assays. Brucella negative samples were screened using eight abortion pathogens PCR panel ( Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bovine Herpesvirus 4, Campylobacter fetus, Chlamydophila spp., Coxiella burnetti, Leptospira spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp.). samples from an abortion outbreak that occurred within a goat tribe in the Nyagatare district were included in this investigation. Sera of females (n=8), and males (n=2) were analysed using the Rose Bengal Test (RBT), and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (i-ELISA), while vaginal swabs (n=3), and aborted tissues (n=1) were cultured and characterized. The ITS-PCR detected Brucella DNA in cultures from two aborted tissues of cattle [10.5%, (2/19)] which were identified as B. melitensis (n=1), and B. abortus (n=1) using AMOS and Bruce-ladder PCR assays. Campylobacter fetus (n=7) and Leptospira spp. (n=4) including co-infections (n=2) of C. fetus and Leptospira spp. were identified with the PCR panel from the Brucella negative samples of cattle. Goats (100.0%, 10/10) were brucellosis seropositive on RBT and i-ELISA. Mixed infections caused by B. melitensis and B. abortus were isolated from the vaginal swabs (n=3) and aborted tissues (n=1). The isolation of both B. abortus and B. melitensis indicated cross-infections and mixed livestock farming in Rwanda. This is the first identification of abortion-associated pathogens ( B. abortus, B. melitensis, C. fetus, and Leptospira spp.) in aborted cattle samples in Rwanda indicating the enormous financial losses to cattle owners and a threat to public health. It is therefore essential to include these identified pathogens in the surveillance scheme of veterinary and human services, and raise the awareness of caretakers, abattoir workers, and laboratory personnel.

A document by Sunday Ochai. Click on the document to view its contents.

Wild equids can harvest multiple-host infectious agents that are able to affect other wildlife species, but also domestic animals and humans. The contact between wild and domestic equids is constantly increasing due to the depletion of natural areas, climate and land-usage changes, which could result in burdensome epidemics. Nevertheless, currently there is a lack of adequate epidemiological data from zebra. Three electronic databases were searched from 10 to 20 March 2021 for publications reporting bacterial, viral and protozoan infections in zebra. Data for a total of 12 nominal variables were extracted from reviewed papers to undergo a qualitative analysis on microbial infections in zebra. Prevalence-reporting studies were subjected to meta-analysis for estimating the pooled prevalence and seroprevalence of infectious agents in wild zebra populations. We identified 29 pathogen species and the most represented were Equine Herpesvirus 1 and 9, Bacillus anthracis, African Horse Sickness virus and Theileria equi. They were reported from all the three zebra species, both in captivity and wilderness. Pooled seroprevalences were estimated for the equine Orbiviruses AHSV (70%; 95%CI: 35-96%) and EEV (21%; 95%CI: 8-38%) and for the equine α -Herpesviruses EHV-1 (72%; 95%CI: 43-93%), EHV-4 (40%; 95%CI: 0-100%) and EHV-9 (58%; 95%CI: 9-98%), and pooled prevalences for the equine piroplasms T. equi (100%; 95%CI: 94-100%) and B. caballi (8%; 95%CI: 0-28%). Zebra is most probably a reservoir from which AHSV, EHV-1 and T. equi can be transmitted to horse populations, potentially causing disastrous epidemics. Zebra can also harvest zoonotic pathogens like B. anthracis, A. phagocytophylum, CCHFV and T. brucei. Other agents like EHV-9, BPV-1 and BPV-2 have the potential to spread from zebra to other wild endangered animal species. We conclude that zebra is an important host for multiple and dangerous pathogens. Alert and epidemiological research should be increased on infectious agents of zebra.

Numerous unknown factors influence anthrax epidemiology in multi-host systems, especially at wildlife/livestock/human interfaces. Serology tests for anti-anthrax antibodies in carnivores are useful tools in identifying the presence or absence of Bacillus anthracis in a range. These were employed to ascertain if the disease pattern followed the recognized high and low risk anthrax zonation in Zimbabwe and also to establish if anthrax was absent from Hwange National Park in which there has been no reported outbreaks. African lions (Panthera leo) (n= 114) drawn from -free-range protected areas and captive game parks located in recognized high and low risk zones across Zimbabwe were tested for antibodies to anthrax PA antigen using the ELISA immunoassay. A random selection of 27 lion sera samples comprising 17 sero-positive and 10 sero-negative sera were further tested in the species-independent toxin neutralization assay (TNA) in order to validate the former as a surveillance tool for anthrax in African lions. Using the ELISA-PA immunoassay, 21.9% (25/114) of the lions tested positive for antibodies to anthrax. Seropositivity was recorded in all study areas and there was no significant difference (p= 0.852) in seropositivity between lions in high and low risk anthrax zones. Also, there was no significant difference (McNemar’s χ2 = 0.9, p = 0.343) in the proportion of lions testing positive to anti-PA anthrax antibodies on ELISA-PA immunoassay compared to the TNA, with fair agreement between the two tests [Kappa (K) statistic = 0.30; 0.08