44 research outputs found
Tick infestation and udder and teat damage in selected cattle herds of Matabeleland South, Zimbabwe
No full textDissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2008.A cross-sectional survey was conducted at six properties in the small-holder and commercial sector in Gwanda district of Matabeleland South Province, Zimbabwe. The study was conducted at Sivume and Nyandeni communal dip-tanks, at Blanket, Double cross, Judds and at Timber farms. The objective of the study was to ascertain the tick infestations, tick species and udder and teat damage of milking cows and heifers from selected cattle herds. The study was important as it would help animalhealth decision makers and farmers in knowing the prevailing tick genera and species in the study area and hence the potential for the occurrence of diseases associated with these ticks. Two hundred and eighty-six cattle were sampled and ticks were collected and sent to the Central Veterinary Laboratory for further characterisation. A total of eight tick species, comprising of Amblyomma hebraeum, Hyalomma truncatum, Hyalomma marginatum rufipes, Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Rhipicephalus zambeziensis and Rhipicephalus simus were identified. 53 % of the sampled cattle had some degree of udder and teat damage but very few farmers (2.6 %) treated their cattle for these conditions.Veterinary Tropical Diseasesunrestricte
Spatiotemporal patterns of clinical bovine dermatophilosis in Zimbabwe 1995-2014
No full textA retrospective study of clinical bovine dermatophilosis outbreaks and cases for the period 1995-2014 was conducted, using data obtained from the Division of Veterinary Services (DVS). A total of 3856 outbreaks and 26 659 cases of dermatophilosis were reported countrywide during this period. The post rainy season accounted for 37.9% of the outbreaks followed by the rainy season (26.7%), cold dry season (22.1%) and the hot dry season (13.2%). A retrospective space-time scan statistic in SaTScanâ„¢ was used to detect clusters. From this study, it was evident that dermatophilosis was spreading from the north-west of Zimbabwe through the central to the north-east during the period 2010-2014. Five clusters were identified mainly in the central and north-western regions of Zimbabwe. The primary cluster was centred at Ungwe, Gokwe district in Midlands; the second, third, fourth and fifth likely clusters were centred at Bonga (Mashonaland Central), ARDA (Mashonaland West), Nsenga (Matabeleland North) and Zanda in Gokwe, respectively. The findings of this study suggest the continued spread of dermatophilosis across the country; as such the Department of Livestock and Veterinary Services are advised to develop measures aimed at managing this spread such as dipping, quarantine, movement control and raising farmer awareness
IN VITRO EFFICACY OF EXTRACTS FROM PLANTS USED BY SMALL-HOLDER FARMERS IN THE TREATMENT OF DERMATOPHILOSIS IN CATTLE
No full textBackground: Bovine dermatophilosis, an important skin disease of cattle caused by Dermatophilus congolensis, negatively impacts the livelihoods of small-holder farmers in Zimbabwe. This impact is through, morbidity, loss of draught animal power, costs incurred to manage the disease, losses associated with devalued damaged hides and the resultant culling of some of the affected cattle. Due to the inaccessibility of conventional drugs to manage bovine dermatophilosis, farmers have been reported to use local medicinal plants to manage the disease. The aim of the study was to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial activities of three plants that small-holder farmers in Zimbabwe used to manage bovine dermatophilosis.Methods: Dried plant materials were ground into powder and extracted individually using, water, 80 % acetone and 80% methanol. The antimicrobial properties of the plants were evaluated against two Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and one Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) reference bacterial strains. They were further evaluated against a field isolate of Dermatophilus congolensis. The assays used were the disc diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC).Results: Acetone and methanol extracts had superior inhibitory activities than did those of water. Pterocarpus angolensis DC extracts had better inhibitory properties with absolute MIC values of 0.156 – 5 mg/ml, Cissus Quadrangularis L had MIC values in the range 0.156 – 5 mg/ml while that of Catunaregam spinosa Thunb, Terveng was 0.156 – 10 mg/ml. Dermatophilus congolensis was more sensitive to Pterocarpus angolensis DC average MIC = 0.63 mg/ml than to Cissus quadrangularis L average MIC = 1.25 mg/ml and Catunaregam. spinosa Thunb, Terveng average MIC = 2.08 mg/ml.Conclusion: These results suggest the potential antibacterial activities of extracts of the three plants and hence farmers are, in a way, justified in using the plants. Better results (lower MIC) could be obtained by extracting and evaluating pure active compounds of the plants.Keywords: Zimbabwe, exudative, minimum inhibitory concentration, micro-dilution, ρ- iodonitrotetrazolium, traditional, Cissus quadrangularis L
Bovine dermatophilosis: Awareness, perceptions and attitudes in the small-holder sector of north-west Zimbabwe
No full textA cross-sectional study was conducted to assess cattle owners’ awareness, perceptions, attitudes and drug-usage practices with regard to bovine dermatophilosis. Knowledge of these farmers’ attributes is important for animal health policy makers in their endeavours to provide optimum disease control strategies that are acceptable to the communities. Data on cattle owner awareness of bovine dermatophilosis, causes, treatment practices, perceptions about its importance and potential dangers to humans were collected using an intervieweradministered questionnaire. A total of 185 stockowners and cattle herds were involved in the study, with bovine dermatophilosis determined clinically by veterinarians. The results showed that 45.4% of the herds were clinically positive for dermatophilosis, and most farmers (79.5%) were generally aware that dermatophilosis was a cattle disease. In the event of a dermatophilosis outbreak in a herd, 74.1% of the farmers treated their cattle using antibiotics; the proportion of farmers treating cattle did not differ (p > 0.05) across the diptanks. Fifty-two farmers (52/63) indicated that drugs had to be administered four to seven times before an animal recovered from infection. Tetracyclines were the antibiotics used by most farmers (79.3%) to treat dermatophilosis, with 19.1% using penicillins. Concerns were raised by farmers about the effectiveness of these drugs against bovine dermatophilosis. Across the study sites, 48.6% and 27.6% of the farmers perceived bovine dermatophilosis to be an important disease at the herd and area level, respectively. A small proportion (12.4%) of the farmers regarded bovine dermatophilosis as a potentially zoonotic disease. The high level of stockowners’ general awareness, with regards to bovine dermatophilosis, sets ideal conditions for the mobilisation of farmers by animal health authorities in the control of the disease. However, further research needs to be undertaken to investigate effective antibiotic delivery protocols and the potential zoonotic impact of bovine dermatophilosis in a situation of high disease prevalence
Case report on an outbreak of theileriosis in a dairy herd: Could it be a co-infection of a virulent strain of Theileria mutans with Theileria parva?
No full textThis case report aimed to alert veterinarians of the possibility of simultaneous infections with more than one Theileria species in cattle herds in Zimbabwe. Cows (N=7) and a postmortem specimen from a dairy farm located in Chivhu, Mashonaland East province, Zimbabwe were presented for clinical and postmortem examination, respectively. On history taking, the herd had a decrease in milk yield and high cow mortalities. The presented live animals had a heavy tick burden and were febrile and lethargic. Post-mortem findings revealed strong evidence suggestive of theileriosis. Theileria schizonts and piroplasms were identified in stained lymph node aspirate, impression, and blood smears. The herd was managed using tetracyclines and buparvaquone together with an intensive dipping protocol until deaths had stopped. Both the clinical and postmortem findings were strongly suggestive of the possibility of a simultaneous infection with more than one Theileria species in this herd. Thus, these finding highlight the need to characterise the Theileria species profile in Zimbabwe
Spatiotemporal patterns of clinical bovine dermatophilosis in Zimbabwe 1995–2014
No full textA retrospective study of clinical bovine dermatophilosis outbreaks and cases for the period 1995–2014 was conducted, using data obtained from the Division of Veterinary Services (DVS). A total of 3856 outbreaks and 26 659 cases of dermatophilosis were reported countrywide during this period. The post rainy season accounted for 37.9% of the outbreaks followed by the rainy season (26.7%), cold dry season (22.1%) and the hot dry season (13.2%). A retrospective space–time scan statistic in SaTScanTM was used to detect clusters. From this study, it was evident that dermatophilosis was spreading from the north-west of Zimbabwe through the central to the north-east during the period 2010–2014. Five clusters were identified mainly in the central and north-western regions of Zimbabwe. The primary cluster was centred at Ungwe, Gokwe district in Midlands; the second, third, fourth and fifth likely clusters were centred at Bonga (Mashonaland Central), ARDA (Mashonaland West), Nsenga (Matabeleland North) and Zanda in Gokwe, respectively. The findings of this study suggest the continued spread of dermatophilosis across the country; as such the Department of Livestock and Veterinary Services are advised to develop measures aimed at managing this spread such as dipping, quarantine, movement control and raising farmer awareness
Spatiotemporal patterns of clinical bovine dermatophilosis in Zimbabwe 1995–2014
No full textA retrospective study of clinical bovine dermatophilosis outbreaks and cases for the period 1995–2014 was conducted, using data obtained from the Division of Veterinary Services (DVS). A total of 3856 outbreaks and 26 659 cases of dermatophilosis were reported countrywide during this period. The post rainy season accounted for 37.9% of the outbreaks followed by the rainy season (26.7%), cold dry season (22.1%) and the hot dry season (13.2%). A retrospective space–time scan statistic in SaTScanTM was used to detect clusters. From this study, it was evident that dermatophilosis was spreading from the north-west of Zimbabwe through the central to the north-east during the period 2010–2014. Five clusters were identified mainly in the central and north-western regions of Zimbabwe. The primary cluster was centred at Ungwe, Gokwe district in Midlands; the second, third, fourth and fifth likely clusters were centred at Bonga (Mashonaland Central), ARDA (Mashonaland West), Nsenga (Matabeleland North) and Zanda in Gokwe, respectively. The findings of this study suggest the continued spread of dermatophilosis across the country; as such the Department of Livestock and Veterinary Services are advised to develop measures aimed at managing this spread such as dipping, quarantine, movement control and raising farmer awareness.</jats:p
An outbreak of Psoroptic mange infestation and its management in re-introduced African Buffaloes (Syncerus caffer) at Umfurudzi Safari Area in Zimbabwe
No full textAn outbreak of Psoroptic mange infestation and its management in re-introduced foot and mouth disease-free African buffaloes (Syncerus caffer) at a safari area in Zimbabwe is described. Between 2012 and 2013, 170 buffaloes were re-introduced into Umfurudzi Safari Area, Shamva District of Zimbabwe. One cow exhibited non-pruritic, widespread alopecia all over its body and appeared to recover after being treated with injectable ivermectin acaricide. Subsequently, an outbreak of severe non-pruritic alopecia ensued in the buffalo herd at the onset of winter May 2013. Laboratory diagnosis confirmed Psoroptes mites infestation in one of five animals tested. Clinical mange was evident in 103 (81.7%, n= 126) of the animals captured and treated. The buffalo herd responded well to two treatment regimes. This incident highlights the need to include mange in the screening and prophylactic treatment regimes of translocated wildlife
Preliminary comparison of Fe/SiC sintered using microwave hybrid and conventional sintering
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