ETIDIOH - NEW

  Abstract Background :  West Nile (WNV), Usutu (USUV), and Sindbis (SINV) virus were initially detected in the African region , and subsequently across temperate regions where they were absent. Wild birds are primary reservoirs for these arboviruses and are considered major contributors to their global spread through seasonal migration . To understand the transmission dynamics of arboviruses in wild birds and the potential of migratory birds to spread the viruses at an intercontinental scale , we investigated arboviral infections and exposures in African resident and Palearctic migratory birds at wintering locations in Nigeria.  Methodology/Principal Findings :  Oropharyngeal- and cloacal swabs , feathers and blood were collected from resident and migratory birds at two wintering locations ( Amurum and Ngel-Nyaki Forest Reserves ). Swabs and feathers were tested using RT-PCR for WNV, USUV and SINV, and blood with ELISA and FRNT90 or PRNT80 for antibodies. 573 birds ...

Abstract Zoonotic diseases pose global public health threats, prompting various interventions to limit their emergence and spread . One increasingly common response by governments has been to ban wildlife hunting , trade and consumption. However, there is limited evidence of the effectiveness of wildlife trade bans . Here we assess compliance with Nigeria’s wildlife trade ban—enacted to curb the spread of mpox (formerly monkeypox)—by analysing approximately 4.5 years of wild meat sales data from 19 vendors in southeast Nigeria (988 vendor-months) alongside interviews with vendors and law enforcement officials. After matching the sales data by time of year, we found no significant differences before and after the ban in the number of vendors selling wild meat per week, the weekly mass of wild meat sold, or the weekly price per kilogram of wild meat; however, the total weekly sales price was higher post-ban. These findings, supported by interview insights, indicate widespread non-complia...

Abstract Since its discovery via metagenomics in 2008, human cosavirus (HCoSV) has been detected in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and feces of humans with meningitis , acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), and acute gastroenteritis . To date, 34 HCoSV genotypes have been documented by the Picornaviridae study group. However, the documented genetic diversity of HCoSV in Nigeria is limited. Here we describe the genetic diversity of HCoSV in Nigeria using a metagenomics approach. Archived and anonymized fecal specimens from children (under 15 years old) diagnosed with non-polio AFP from five states in Nigeria were analyzed. Virus-like particles were purified from 55 pools (made from 254 samples) using the NetoVIR protocol. Pools were subjected to nucleic acid extraction and metagenomic sequencing . Reads were trimmed and assembled, and contigs classified as HCoSV were subjected to phylogenetic, pairwise identity, recombination analysis, and, when necessary, immuno-informatics and capsid structur...

Abstract Influenza is a major infectious disease challenge affecting animal and human health globally, and wild birds are historically the primary reservoirs of all the known Influenza A virus subtypes. Here, we detected the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus in exotic and aquatic birds in three different locations in Nigeria. On the 8th of February 2021, exotic birds: Yellow Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus), Sultan chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus), Lakenvelder chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus), and Common pheasant (Phasianus calchicus), imported from Libya and transported across the Niger Republic border to Nigeria, were presented to the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, for screening. Also, a family in Lagos State bought some exotic aquatic birds from a live bird market in Sokoto State , Nigeria, where sudden death was recorded with the birds showing few clinical signs. Similarly, the sudden death of some aquatic birds was reported in Mandela Parks and ...