Mairiga I. A.,*1 Ibrahim A.2, Lawan F. A.3
1Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, PMB 1069 Maiduguri, Nigeria
2Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria
3Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, PMB 1069 Maiduguri, Nigeria
*Corresponding author’s Email: saminuel_mairiga@yahoo.com, doi.org/10.55639/607.151413
ABSTRACT
A total of 329 comprising 192 of blood and 137 of faecal samples from sheep were examined for presence of salmonellae infections using abattoir samples. The prevalence of Salmonallae infections from both rams and ewes after screening blood samples were 2.0 (0.61%) and 5.0 (1.52%). Similarly screening of faecal samples from rams and ewes revealed the prevalence of 2.0 (0.61%) and 11.0 (3.34%) respectively. Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed that all salmonellae were susceptible to Ciprofloxacin, Ofloxacin and Norfloxacin, and had intermediate sensitivity to Nitrofurantoin, Tetracyclines and Amoxycillin whereas the isolates were totally resistant to Gentamycin, Ampicillin, Chloramphenicol and Cefuroxines. Microbiological screening involved incubation in Selenite-F broth of blood sample and faecal samples at 37°C for 24 hours. A dense suspension of both emulsified blood and faecal samples was inoculated into brilliant green agar plates uniformly. The inoculum was plated out on the remainder of the plate surface area incubated at 37°C for 24 hours. Heavy inoculation of MacConkey agar plates yielded separate presumptive Salmonellae and E-coli colonies and the former was picked and streaked on to separate Mac Conkey agar plates and were incubated at 43°C for 24 hours. Biochemical tests for confirmation of Salmonellae followed incubation of presumptive Salmonellae colonies into kohns or Trippie Sugar Iron (TSI) agar. Agar diffusion method employed addition of broth culture on prepared MacConkey agar and impregnated antimicrobial disc were pressed down to achieve adequate contact and incubated for 48hours for zones of inhibition measured and interpreted as sensitive, intermediate or resistant. The studies affirmed that Salmonellae infections in sheep were common in Maiduguri although the prevalence rate was low. This might be attributed to the sample type screened. One of the constraints was lack of screening of equal sample sizes of blood and faeces. Observance of biosecurity measures with adequate provision of feeds and portable drinking water should be ensured
Keywords:
Haemoprevalence,
Salmonellae,
Sheep,
Abattoir,
Samples,
Maiduguri