Abstract:
Salmonellosis is a bacterial zoonosis causing an array of health conditions. Non-typhoidal
salmonellosis (NTS) has a discrete adaptation to certain animals; in poultry, pullorum and fowl
typhoid are its primary disease manifestations. The diseases are prevalent in Nigerian poultry and
have been well-studied in Nigeria, but less so in North Central Nigeria (NCN). Using field sampling,
laboratory methods and a semi-structured questionnaire for 1000 poultry farms in NCN, we explored
the incidence and risk factors for the persistence of NTS infection in poultry. Approximately 41.6%
of the farms had experienced NTS over the last 18 months. Farm experience of NTS moderately
predicted awareness of salmonellosis. Increasing stock in smallholder farms, self-mixing of concentrate
on the farm, usage of stream water, pen odour, non-adherence and partial adherence of
farms to recommended poultry vaccination against pullorum and fowl typhoid and lack of and
non-adherence to biosecurity were identified risk factors that increased the odds of NTS infection
in poultry. Antibiotic use practice may have reduced the isolation rate of NTS, yet NTS continues
to challenge poultry farms in Nigeria. Identified risk practices must be mitigated intentionally and
biosecurity and hygiene must be improved to reduce the burden of NTS.
Description:
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : This work is part of the PhD study of A.O.S. All data associated with
this work and other components of the PhD study will be permanently archived with the Department
of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, South Africa, and will be made available
publicly, including the final thesis.
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL : TABLE S1: Categorization of variables based on selected industry standards and peer-reviewed literature; FILE S1: Sample questionnaire for risk factor data collection in the field.
