Animal and Zoonotic diseases

1. Animal and Zoonotic diseases • Overall development objective to contribute to alleviation of food insecurity and poverty by increasing animal productivity and public health • Overall academic objective is to contribute to the increased capacity building in the field of veterinary medicine, animal nutrition and human parasitology.

2. Animal and Zoonotic diseases

3. Animal and Zoonotic diseases Research topics • The epidemiology and control of helminth infections • The epidemiology and control of trypanosomosis • The importance and epidemiology of zoonotic diseases • The epidemiology and control of mastitis • Nutritive value of locally available feeds for livestock

4. Animal and Zoonotic diseases New collaborative approach • To adapt better to the local capacity and capability of the Veterinary School e.g. experience in research, laboratory techniques, organisational expertise (samplings etc), availability of laboratory equipment • To improve collaboration between researchers and research groups and increase the number of scientists involved in the project • To exploit research opportunities relevant to the region and the whole country including urbanisation, increased demand for milk and milk products and encroachment of livestock into fertile tsetse-infested areas

5. Animal and Zoonotic diseases 3 research themes

6. Zoonotic component Objectives • To understand the importance and epidemiology of zoonotic diseases, in particular taeniasis/cysticercosis and echinococcosis/hydatidosis Activities first working year • Abattoir-based study on Taenia saginata and Echinococcus granulosus in cattle between Oct 2007 -Mar 2008 • Training of Ethiopian topic leader at ITMA in serological techniques Results • 512 carcasses inspected, samples taken for parasitological and serological examination • 15 (2.93%) infected with T. saginata metacestodes, and 161 (31.44%) with hydatid cysts Future work • Continue work on Echinococcosis: genotyping, zoonotic importance, prevalence in dogs

7. Urban component: Mastitis • Objectives • 1) To determine the bacterial flora involved in mastitis • 2) To determine the clinical importante of mastitis in the Jimma zone • 3) To assess the quality and usage of the available mastitis treatment • 4) To suggest contol measures for mastitis • Activities • Activity 3.1: Specific areas where the surveys will be conducted will be identified • Activity 3.2: The prevalence of mastitis and bacteria involved will be studied • Activity 3.3:The currently applied mastitis prevention measures will be evaluated • Activity 3.4: Recommendations to control mastitiswill be developped

8. Rural component: Helminth diseases Objectives • To understand the basic epidemiology of helminth infections in cattle in the Jimma zone Activities • Training of topic leader at UGent on basic parasitological techniques • Visits to villages to identify where longitudinal studies could be initiated to determine prevalence and seasonal variations of helminth infections Results • Study areas around Jimma identified • Faecal samples collected and examined: 47% of animals infected with gastro-intestinal parasites and/or liver fluke Future work • Longitudinal studies in selected areas • Study importance of parasitic infections in rural and urban areas

9. Animal and Zoonotic diseases Rural component: Livestock trypanosomiasis • Objectives • 1. To collect baseline data on the prevalence and impact of trypanosomal infections in livestock in the various study sites with different trypanosomosis control history • 2. To isolate trypanosome strains from cattle in the various study sites in the Jimma region and determine their level of resistance (trypanocidal drug reference centre) • 3. To conduct a questionnaire survey to evaluate the ongoing trypanocidal drug use practices in the various study sites in the Jimma region • 4. Develop appropriate trypanosomosis control strategies • Activities • Activity 2.1. Collect baseline data • Activity 2.2. Identify study sites (3), based on epidemiological setting • Activity 2.3. Determine prevalence and impact of trypanosomal infections • Activity 2.4. Isolate trypanosome strains from cattle and determine susceptiblity • Activity 2.5. Conduct drug use survey • Activity 2.6. Analyse survey data and develop control strategies

11. Project 1: Zoonotic and Animal Diseases Animal Nutrition Team Belay DUGUMAYisehak KECHEROGeert JANSSENS IUC-JU North meeting, Oct. 8, 2008

12. Main topics • Rural component: Development of sustainable livestock feeding around the Gilgel Gibe dam • Urban component: Optimising urban dairy cow nutrition

13. Livestock feeding around the dam • Local perception of problems and identification of bottlenecks in view of seasonality • Questionnaire: 330 household in 5 distinct regions • Bio-mass estimations of feed resources • Determination of nutritional value of feed resources • Chemical analysis • Digestibility tests with local breeds • Evaluating in-the-field indicators of herd nutritional status • Faecal nitrogen fractions • Micromineral ratios • Saponins • Adjust the identified first limiting nutrients • Optimise existing rations through formulation • Promote production of specific crops that adjust nutrient deficiencies in a sustainable way regarding ecology and economy (to be further developed by multidisciplinary approach  increase cooperation with other teams)

14. Optimising urban dairy nutrition • Identify most important deficiencies • Questionnaire on feeding practices and animal performance • Analyse total rations for nutritional value and compare with nutrient requirements • Identify practical means to adjust deficiencies • Optimise use of by-products • Introduce new feed resources • Ration formulation • Improve rations to increase milk production and disease resistance • Measure milk production and its main composition • Measure inflammatory and mastitis parameters • Improve rations to increase nutritional quality of the milk (for infants  increase collaboration with Project 2) • Microminerals (Zn, Cu, Se, …) • Fatty acid profile

15. Problems • A major overall problem is the purchase of equipment. After one year the material ordered in Belgium has not yet arrived in Jimma. • Limited laboratory capability • Current research is mainly person-oriented (PhD projects) • Limited knowledge of the relevance of veterinary and zoonotic diseases and/or limited exploitation of available information (e.g. MSc and DVM theses) • Current research focus is descriptive rather than analytical • Irregular feed-back on research progress • Availability of transport for work in urban areas • For non-PhD students, the available time that can devoted to the research projects is limited • Recommendations • It should be better explored what material can be purchased locally (Jimma & especially Addis Ababa • To increase the number of Belgian scientists/technicians supporting the establishment and activities of the laboratories at the Veterinary School • To complete construction work at the Veterinary School so that a parasitological laboratory can be established in the new building • Establish team-oriented research approach • Meta-analysis of available studies performed in the region and determine relevant research priorities • To establish a reporting format and schedule and organise an annual scientific (progress) meeting between Belgian and Ethiopian researchers • To purchase two motorbikes (locally) to support activities of the urban component of the project • The Jimma University policy should allow non-registered students to devote time to the research projects of the Veterinary Project of the IUC • To organise a meeting between Belgian collaborators of the veterinary project and between Belgian scientists of the various IUC projects to brief on project activities and exchange ideas

16. Further discussion is necessary …