PREVALENCE OF RANAVIRUSES IN FRESH FISH AND EDIBLE FROGS AND THE KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICES OF FISHERMEN AND FROG HARVESTERS IN ZARIA, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
PREVALENCE OF RANAVIRUSES IN FRESH FISH AND EDIBLE FROGS AND THE KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICES OF FISHERMEN AND FROG HARVESTERS IN ZARIA, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
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Date
2018-06
Authors
AMEH, Inikpi Hannah
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Abstract
Ranaviruses are globally emerging pathogens which cause systemic infection in fishes, amphibians, and reptiles and have been associated with numerous disease outbreaks in natural and cultured populations.Mortality and morbidity due to ranaviruses have been shown to range from 0% to 100% of infected animals. The aim of this study was to detect ranaviruses in fish and edible frogs from dams and ponds in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. A total of 415 samples, 215 frogs (Rana spp.) and 200 fishes (Clarias gariepinus, Labeo senegalensis, Lates niloticus, Marcusenius senegalensis, Oreochromis niloticus, Schilbemystus and Tilapia zilli) were collected based on availability. Liver, kidney and spleen from each sample were pooled, homogenised and screened for ranavirus using the Enzyme linked Immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A total of 37 questionnaires were administered to fishermen and 21 to frog harvesters to ascertain occurrence of mass mortality of fish and frogs and assess their practices and knowledge on frog and fish health. An overall prevalence of 47.2% (196/415) was obtained from the study. Frogs had a higher prevalence of 51.2% (110/215) than fish (43% (86/20). There was no statistically significant relationship between prevalence in fish and that of frogs (P > 0.05). Among the fish species; Marcusenius Senegalensis had the highest prevalence of 75% (9/12), this was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The prevalence in wild fish (51.3%) compared to farmed fish (18%) was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Occasional mass mortality of fishes and frogs were observed by fishermen (99.1%) and frog harvesters (76.2%). This study establishes the presence of detectable ranavirus antigen infish and edible frogs in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. This is the first report on the presence of ranavirus in fishes and edible frogs in Nigeria.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN VETERINARY PUBLIC HEALTH AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY PUBLIC HEALTH AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINE,
FACULTY OF VETERINARY MEDICINE,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY,
ZARIA
Keywords
PREVALENCE,, RANAVIRUSES,, FRESH FISH,, EDIBLE FROGS,, KNOWLEDGE,, PRACTICES,, FISHERMEN,, FROG HARVESTERS,, ZARIA,, KADUNA STATE,, NIGERIA