Summary
This cross-sectional study used molecular diagnostic techniques to investigate the prevalence of two economically significant tick-borne diseases—heartwater and babesiosis—in cattle from Kwara State, north-central Nigeria. Surprisingly, all 157 blood samples tested negative for both Ehrlichia ruminantium and Babesia bigemina, despite both pathogens being reported as endemic in Nigeria. The findings contribute new epidemiological data that may help inform more targeted disease control strategies in the region.
UK applicability
This study has limited direct applicability to UK livestock systems, as both pathogens are endemic to tropical and subtropical Africa and are not established in the United Kingdom. However, the methodological approach using qPCR and semi-nested PCR for tick-borne pathogen detection may inform UK diagnostic protocols for monitoring exotic disease risks.
Key measures
Presence/absence of Ehrlichia ruminantium (detected via semi-nested PCR) and Babesia bigemina (detected via probe-based qPCR) in cattle blood samples
Outcomes reported
Blood samples from 157 cattle in Kwara State, Nigeria were tested using qPCR and semi-nested PCR to detect Ehrlichia ruminantium and Babesia bigemina. All samples tested negative for both pathogens, providing new epidemiological data on the current burden of these two tick-borne diseases in the region.
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