ISOLATION AND PREVALENCE OF ESCHERICHIA COLI IN WILD ANIMALS AT THE NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN JOS, NIGERIA
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Date
2016
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Bangladesh Society for Veterinary Medicine.
Abstract
Nigeria which could possibly be due to E. coli. The presence of the zoonotic infection puts the animals, staff, visitors and the
general public at risk of contracting the bacteria which could lead to death of wildlife, economic losses, wildlife conservation
issues, human sickness, expenditure on treatments or death of man or animals. The record of surveillance of E. coli in Nigeria
is limited. The study sought to determine the presence and prevalence of E. coli in the zoo. 160 faecal samples were collected
over a period of three months and analysed for E. coli using the conventional biochemical tests and confirmation was done
using the Microbact GNB 12E. Seventy seven (48.1%) isolates showed reactions presumptive of E. coli after the conventional
biochemical tests while 58 (36.3%) were confirmed after testing with Microbact GNB 12E. The confirmed isolates were from
primates 18, carnivores 5, herbivores 5, birds 28, and reptiles 2. There was a statistically significant association (p<0.05)
between the different classes of animals and the isolation of E. coli. There was also a statistically significant association
(p<0.05) between the occurrence of E. coli and months of sample collection. The occurrence and high prevalence of E. coli
implies the organism could be the cause of infectious diarrhoea and death in the zoo, while staff and as many as visit the zoo
are at risk of contracting the organisms from the animals or other contaminated objects which could lead to human death and
epidemics.
Description
Keywords
E. coli, Prevalence, Wild animals, Zoonosis, Death
Citation
Oludairo et al., 2016