Biology subjects

Meseko, C.

Publications and source records attributed to Meseko, C..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Infectious Bronchitis: Molecular Detection and Characterization in Live Bird Markets in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), the avian coronavirus, is a highly contagious coronavirus of birds. It mostly affects the respiratory, urinary and reproductive tract, leading to considerable economic losses to the poultry industry as a result of drop in egg production, undesirable egg quality and poor weight gain. Thus, this study aimed to detect and characterize the virus in live bird markets (LBMs) in Plateau State, Nigeria. One hundred pooled of cloacal and tracheal swab samples each were collected from two LBMs in Jos. Viral RNA was extracted and screened for IBV using real-time RT-PCR. Subsequently, hyper-variable region of the spike (S1) gene of positive samples were amplified and sequenced. IBV nucleic acid was detected in 42% (42/100) of the pooled samples. Phylogenetic analysis of the resulting sequences of S1 gene showed that IBV detected in this study were diversified into two distinct genotypes: GI-14, and GI-23. These genotypes were closely related to a Poland strain with over 95% nucleotide identity, forming a common cluster within the GI-23 group. One isolate showed a notable relationship with a previously reported Nigerian isolate, sharing 85% nucleotide identity, and formed a common cluster within the GI-14 group. Overall, this study established the widespread of IBV and therefore recommends continuous surveillance to identify the current circulating strain for possible local vaccine development for effective control measures to mitigate the spread of the virus in the study area and the country at large.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2025

Exotic and Zoological Birds Resident and Imported into Nigeria harbour Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus: Threat to Poultry Production, Food security and Public Health.

Influenza is a major infectious disease challenge affecting animal and human health globally, and wild birds are historically the primary reservoirs of all the known Influenza A virus subtypes. Here, we detected the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus in exotic and aquatic birds in three different locations in Nigeria. On the 8th of February 2021, exotic birds: Yellow Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus), Sultan chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus), Lakenvelder chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus), and Common pheasant (Phasianus calchicus), imported from Libya and transported across the Niger Republic border to Nigeria, were presented to the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, for screening. Also, a family in Lagos State bought some exotic aquatic birds from a live bird market in Sokoto State, Nigeria, where sudden death was recorded with the birds showing few clinical signs. Similarly, the sudden death of some aquatic birds was reported in Mandela Parks and Gardens in Asaba, Delta State, few weeks after some captured wild birds were introduced to the Park and Gardens. Oropharyngeal, cloacal, and tissue samples were all collected from the reported cases. Total viral nucleic acid was extracted and screened for Influenza A viruses using real-time RT-PCR. The HPAI viruses H5N1 and H5N8 were detected in the imported aquatic (geese and ducks) and exotic (yellow golden pheasant) birds. The samples tested negative for low-pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus (H9N2) as well as other avian viruses, viz., Avian avulavirus-1 (Newcastle disease Virus) and infectious bronchitis virus. This highlights the role of these resident and imported exotic birds in the local transmission and spread of the HPAI virus to domestic poultry. The findings call for proper biosecurity and quarantine measures for exotic and wild birds to reduce the potential risk to animal and public health in Nigeria.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2025

Validation and multi-site deployment of a lyophilized qRT-PCR reagent for the molecular diagnosis of avian influenza and rabies in Sub-Saharan African regions

Molecular methods are widely accepted as gold standard techniques for the laboratory diagnosis of most human and animal pathogens. However, most molecular protocols rely on reagents that need to be transported and stored at a freezing temperature, a requirement that might affect their reliability in areas where the cold chain cannot be guaranteed. Over the years, several lyophilized molecular products have been marketed to circumvent this issue. We therefore evaluated the feasibility of replacing liquid reagents with freeze-dried formulations for the molecular diagnosis of avian influenza (AIV) and rabies (RABV) viruses, two priority zoonotic pathogens widely spread in Sub-Saharan Africa. Among the available kits, we selected the Qscript lyo 1-step kit (Quantabio) due to its easy-to-use features, single-reaction format, and preliminary performance assessment. Through a more in-depth evaluation, we determined its analytical and diagnostic performance and formulation stability, and obtained results comparable to those of standard liquid master mixes. Notably, for the detection of divergent lyssaviruses, the lyophilized reagents sensitivity was affected by suboptimal complementarity between the oligonucleotides and the target sequences. Finally, a multi-site evaluation in four veterinary diagnostic laboratories located in Sub-Saharan Africa demonstrated the successful deployment of AIV and RABV assays utilizing freeze-dried reagents, which can interchangeably replace liquid master mixes. Altogether our results indicate that the Qscript lyo 1-step kit (Quantabio) represents a valid alternative to wet reagents for the molecular diagnosis of avian influenza and rabies, and has the potential for broader applications to other relevant infectious diseases upon proper validation. Author summaryMolecular diagnostic protocols rely on reagents that need to be transported and stored at freezing temperatures. Meeting this requirement can be challenging in areas where the maintenance of the cold chain is not guaranteed, such as in sub-Saharan Africa. Our study aimed to assess the feasibility of using lyophilized reagents as a replacement for liquid reagents in the molecular diagnosis of two widespread zoonotic pathogens in Sub-Saharan Africa, namely avian influenza and rabies. To accomplish this, we selected a commercially available lyophilized reagent based on its format and performance characteristics. We conducted a laboratory validation to assess the use of the lyophilized reagent throughout the entire diagnostic process. We also conducted a reproducibility test involving African laboratories as potential end-users. Our findings confirm that the lyophilized reagent can replace traditional liquid reagents to diagnose rabies and avian influenza and suggest its possible use for a wider range of infectious diseases after undergoing appropriate validation.

microbiology↗