The Role Of Chemotherapy As A Veritable Tool In The Management And Control of Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP)

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is an infectious and highly contagious disease of cattle and water buffaloes (Hutyra et.al.,1938) considered to be amongst the most important infectious diseases. Affected animals have difficulty in breathing due to damage to the lungs, lose condition and a proportion die. All ages of cattle are susceptible but young cattle develop joint swellings rather than lung infections. Many cattle show no disease signs despite being infected and others recover quickly after a transient mild disease, yet they can carry infection for as long as two years and may be responsible for passing on infection at a later date (Masiga et.al., 1996; Regalla et.al., 1996). This disease is responsible for huge economic losses in Nigeria and around the world (Egwu et.al., 1996).

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HELMINTHOSIS – ITS CONTROL HIGHLIGHTING FACTORS MILITATING AGAINST ITS CONTROL ESPECIALLY IN NORTHERN NIGERIA.

Helminthosis has long been recognized as a major constraint to the productivity of ruminants and other livestock in Nigeria and elsewhere, and has been the cause of serious economic losses (Akerejola et al, 1979; Okun et al, 1980). For example in Nigeria the economic loss due to Helminthosis in small ruminants alone has been estimated to be at least 144 million naira annually, through death, weight loss and liver condemnation (Akerejola et al, 1979). In addition more than 800 million people in the world are affected by helminthiasis (Stoll, 1947). Helminths are more widespread in tropical regions due to climatic and sociological factors (Cavier,1973).

The major control measure against helminthoses in Nigeria is chemotherapy. However, the availability of drugs varies (Okun et al,1980). Different Anthelminthics both broad spectrum and narrow spectrum are usually used parenterally or orally to treat livestock against helminthes and also for prophylaxis.Some of these drugs include ivermectin, albendazoles, praziquantel, pyrantel, niclosamide, levamisole hydrochloride, piperazine, e.t.c. These drugs are usually administered at the beginning of the rainy season, the middle and end of the rainy season where they are available though the schedule of administration varies from place to place and farmer to farmer (Blood et.al,1994).
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THE ROLE OF ENVIRONMENT, HUMAN ACTIVITY AND EXOTIC ANIMALS IN THE SPREAD OF DISEASES.

Over the last 30 years the reversal in the declining death rate due to infectious diseases has alarmed international health experts. Dramatic successes in eradicating small pox, controlling polio and tuberculosis, and eliminating vector-borne diseases such as yellow fever, dengue and malaria from many regions convinced most experts the era of infectious diseases would soon be over. Unfortunately this optimistic prognosis was premature as a number of diseases have dramatically reemerged. Tuberculosis, cholera, dengue, plague, Avian influenza and malaria have increased in incidence or geographic range, as have new drug-resistant strains of bacteria. In addition newly recognized diseases, such as AIDS, SARS, Drug Resistant Tuberculosis, Cryptosporidiosis, e.t.c. have emerged. Dr. Mark Woolhouse and his colleagues at University of Edinburgh noted in the journal SCIENCE that “humanity is currently plagued by 1709 known pathogens (from viruses and bacteria to fungi, protozoa and worms)”. They concluded that 49% of those are zoonotic and further it was noted that zoonoses are three times more likely to be emerging diseases than non-zoonotic diseases (Cook, 2003).

The present global emergence of infectious diseases is clearly associated with the social and demographic changes of the past 50 years, particularly urbanisation and globalisation, with the attendant spread of pathogens (agents causing disease) via infected humans, hosts, vectors or commodities. The change in the environment caused by human activities is also apparent in the transformation of much of our landscape and conversion of regional systems once dominated by natural ecosystems. Factors include expansion into urban or peri-urban habitat, deforestation, and the spread of intensive farming. The environment’s role in the emergence of diseases is apparent in the connections between the direct consequences of human changes to urban and rural landscapes and ecosystems, and the secondary effects on disease emergence factors. Developing irrigated agriculture, for example, can create breeding grounds for mosquitoes, a vector for malaria. Likewise the inadequate storm drainage and sewerage systems often associated with rapid urbanisation not only increase the breeding habitat for disease vectors but facilitate the spread of waterborne pathogens causing cholera and leptospirosis.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF EPIDEMIO-SURVEILLANCE IN THE PREVENTION, CONTROL AND ERADICATION OF MAJOR VIRAL DISEASES OF PRIMATES.

Viral diseases are probably the most dangerous diseases, because they are so difficult to diagnose and treat, are those of viral origin. Many viral diseases, such as hepatitis or herpes B, can be transmitted from animal to man. A virus may be latent in one species of primate, with little or no disease, yet be fatal in another species of primate, including man.

Herpesvirus. Herpesviruses have been found in many different species of primates. Some herpesviruses can produce a highly fatal systemic disease.

Most primate herpes viruses are latent in one reservoir host species and fatal in another species. Overt disease in the host species rarely occurs other than as a mild skin lesion that is quickly self-limiting. The most important of the zoonotic diseases is herpes B virus or Herpes simiae.

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