SURVEY OF TUBERCULOSIS AND TUBERCLE BACILLI IN FULANI HERDS, "NONO" AND SOME HERDSMEN IN ZARIA AREA, NIGERIA
SURVEY OF TUBERCULOSIS AND TUBERCLE BACILLI IN FULANI HERDS, "NONO" AND SOME HERDSMEN IN ZARIA AREA, NIGERIA
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Date
1988-12
Authors
SHEHU, LADAN MOHAMMED
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Abstract
Mycobacteria are distributed all over the world
with the exception of a few countries. Among die-eases
produced by mycobacteria is tuberculosis, which is one
of the most important zoonoses so far known to man. It
is against this background that the present study was
designed to explore further, the prevalence of these,
organisms in Fulani herds and the environment in
general, through tuberculin test survey of Fulani
cattle, and to culturally examine fresh milk and sputum
from such herds and market-based fermented milk,
"nono".
Of 732 heads of cattle in twenty selected herds in
and around Zaria, 5-00 were screened for mycobacteriosis
using the tuberculin test. Fifty nine (11.8%) heads of
cattle were detected to be reactors, while 43(8.6%) and
398 (79.6%) were suspects and non reactore
respectively. Only one herd had no reactors nor
suspects. Amongst reactors, the incidence increased
with age, with 6.9% reactors in the 0-1 year age group,
while those over five years old had 28(20.9%) reactors.
The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05,
X2),
Management system had an effect on the incidence
of tuberculin test reactors with purely nomadic animals
showing a greater number of reactors (72.88%) than
intensively (0.0%) and semi-inteneively (27.12%.)
managed farms. Sex had no effect on rate of reactor
rates as 13(11.4%) of 114 males and 46(11.9%) of 386
females were positive. The difference was not
statistically significant (P> 0.05; X 2 ) . Out of the
90 fresh milk samples examined, only 1 (1.1%)was found
to be presumptively positive for Mycobacterium species.
Four (13.8%) of the 29 sputum samples examined from
cattle milkers and herders were positive for the same
organism. Eleven (4.2%) of 262 ready-to-drink market
"nono" samples yielded mycobacteria. Of the 9 sputum
samples from volunteer "nono" hawkers, 2(22.2%) yielded
mycobacteria. The pH of "nono" and fresh milk had no
effect on the frequency of isolation of mycobacteria
from such sources.
A total of 18 mycobacterial isolates were obtained
from all samples tested, 11 of which were obtained from
ready-to-drink fermented milk, "nono", 1 from fresh cow
milk obtained directly from the udder, while 4 and 2
were from sputum samples of herders and volunteer
"nono" hawkers respectively. The only typical
Mycobacterium isolated, M. bovis. was cultured from
fresh milk. The remaining 17 isolates obtained from
"nono" and sputum were atypical. Of the atypicals
isolated, 7 were Scotochromogenic, namely M.
scrofulaceum (2 isolates), M. gortionae (aquae) (4) and
M. flavescena (1). Six isolates were non-chromogenic,
M. gastri (4) and M. triyiale (2); while the remaining
4 were rapid growers (Group IV) tentatively identified
as M. smegmatis.
It is concluded that mycobacteria are wide spread
in Fulani herds, herders, fresh milk and fermented milk
(nono) . sold in markets in Zaria and perhaps else
where, and this may constitute a health hazard to
families in close association with the animals and
consumers of locally fermented milk ( nono ). It is
imperative that good sanitary practices should be
employed during preparation and marketing of "nono
Description
A thesis submitted to the Post Graduate School
Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria
in partial fulfilment for the degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE
in Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine
Department of Veterinary Public Health and
Preventive Medicine
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Ahmadu Bello University
Zaria.
December, 1988.
Keywords
SURVEY,, TUBERCULOSIS,, TUBERCLE,, BACILLI,, HERDS,,, NONO",, HERDSMEN,