Volume 14, Issue 2: 2024 - Article 158

Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic zoonotic disease affecting humans and animals. Scientific information on the occurrence of the disease in Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria is scarce in available literature. The present study is a cross sectional survey of the occurrence of tubercles in organs and acid fast bacilli in tubercles observed in organs of slaughtered cattle at Ikpa abattoir, Nsukka, Enugu State Nigeria. Post mortem meat inspection was conducted on 538 slaughtered cattle to detect tubercles. Smears made from the tubercles were subjected to Ziehl Neelsen (ZN) staining. Results showed that tubercles were found in 2.79% (15/538) of the cattle carcasses. Highest occurrence was recorded in cattle of 4½ years (5.15%), among the females (4.94%) and the White Fulani breed (3.10%). The occurrence of tubercles in the body organs of the slaughtered cattle was found to be significantly associated with sex – significantly more females had tubercles than males. The ZN staining of tubercle smears showed the occurrence of acid fast bacilli in the tubercles of 2.23% (12/538) of the cattle. The occurrence of acid fast bacilli in tubercles was highest among cattle of 4½ years old (5.15%), the females (4.32%) and the White Fulani breed (2.66%). Statistically significant association was recorded between presence of acid fast bacilli in tubercle smears and age as well as sex. There is need for further studies on the definitive organisms associated with tubercles in cattle slaughtered at Ikpa abattoir and also further molecular characterization of the acid fast bacilli detected in tubercles from cattle in the study area.

Keywords: Tuberculosis; Tubercles; Acid fast bacilli; Slaughtered cattle; Ikpa abattoir; Nsukka Nigeria.

How to cite this article:
Ogugua AJ, Nwobi CO, Majesty-Alukagbarie LO, Ezeakor NE, Agada CA and Chukwudi CU (2024). Occurrence of tuberculosis in
cattle slaughtered at Ikpa abattoir, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria. Journal of Veterinary and Applied Sciences, 14(2): 707 – 717.

*Correspondence: E-mail:     ogugua.akwoba@unn.edu.ng      Phone: +2348033844475

Occurrence of tuberculosis in cattle slaughtered at Ikpa abattoir, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria

Akwoba J. Ogugua ¹, Chisom O. Nwobi ¹, Lynda O. Majesty-Alukagbarie ¹, Nzubechukwu E. Ezeakor ¹, Charity A. Agada ²  and Chinwe U. Chukwudi <sup>3

1</sup> Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.
² Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, Nigeria.
³ Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Nigeria.

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