Authors : S. Danbirni, S.O. Okaiyeto, S.B. Pewan and A.C. Kudi
Abstract: A herd of 43 nomadic Bunaji cattle in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State were presented for screening with history and signs of persistence coughing, anorexia, fall in milk yield, back arched and head extension towards wind direction. The cattle were screened for Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) and Bovine Tuberculosis (BTB) using BoviLAT® Latex Agglutination Test-PA6223 (CFT) and One-Step Anigen® Rapid Bovine Tuberculosis Antibody Test (IQRT), respectively. Of the 43 animals screened, 47% had antibodies to Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides small colony variant (Mmm SC) while 14% had antibodies to both Mmm SC and Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis). Animals positive for Mmm SC were confined and administered 20% long acting tetracycline (Tridox®L.A) at 20 mg kg-1 body weight while those that were negative were vaccinated with CBPP vaccine obtained from the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom. Animals positive to both Mmm SC and M. bovis antibodies were advised to be cull out. This investigation revealed that under natural condition, concurrent infection of cattle with CBPP and BTB may occur. Serological tests used in this study may be useful for epidemiological studies while bacteriological culture, postmortem examination and tuberculin skin test (for BTB) need to be carried out to confirm CBPP and BTB. The use of antibiotics in a combined strategy with vaccination and restriction of movement in CBPP out breaks; screening and early culling of animals exposed to M. bovis may help in reducing the economic impact of CBPP and BTB in developing countries.
S. Danbirni, S.O. Okaiyeto, S.B. Pewan and A.C. Kudi, 2010. Concurrent Infection of Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia and Bovine Tuberculosis in Bunaji Nomadic Cows. Research Journal of Animal Sciences, 4: 23-25.