Browsing by Author "Chiwome, Bernard"

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    African swine fever outbreak at a farm in central Namibia
    (2019) Samkange, Alaster; Mushonga, Borden; Mudimba, Douglas; Chiwome, Bernard; Jago, Mark; Kandiwa, Erick; Bishi, Alec S.; Molini, Umberto
    An outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) occurred at a farm in central Namibia in March 2018. Fourteen pigs died out of a herd of 59 animals over a period of 16 days between the first and sixteenth of March 2018. The clinical signs observed included sternal recumbency, fever, weakness, pain and reluctance to move, hyperemia of the skin and anorexia, followed by death. Necropsy findings included large amounts of unclotted blood in the pleural and peritoneal cavities, diffuse carcass congestion, splenomegaly, consolidation of both lungs, hemorrhagic and frothy airways and trachea, hepatomegaly and congestion, congestion of the gastric mucosa, enlarged and congested kidneys, ecchymotic epicardial, and endocardial hemorrhages, and very enlarged and congested urinary bladder. All the remaining pigs were euthanized, burned, and buried under state veterinary supervision. The authors concluded that the outbreak resulted from indirect transmission of the ASF virus due to lapses in biosecurity measures.
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    Molecular investigation of Porcine Circovirus type 3 infection in pigs in Namibia
    (Pathogens, 2021-05-11) Molini, Umberto; Marruchella, Giuseppe; Matheus, Frieda; Hemberger, Maria Yvonne; Chiwome, Bernard; Khaiseb, Siegfried; Cattoli, Giovanni; Franzo, Giovanni
    Porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV-3) infection is widely distributed in domestic pig populations in America, Europe, and Asia. However, no data is currently available about its presence and distribution in Africa. This study investigated the presence of PCV-3 in pigs (n = 122) in Namibia, by means of biomolecular methods. The pig samples collected (n = 122) were representative of the swine industry in Namibia, covering the major pig production facilities in the country. All of the samples tested were negative for PCV-3, and this indicated that the virus was either not present in the country or was circulating at low levels. Further studies are needed to better understand the distribution, if any, of PCV-3 in Namibia.
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    Perceptions and welfare of donkeys in Southern Namibia
    (2019) Chiwome, Bernard; Mushonga, Borden; Mbeserua, Vandaapi; Samkange, Alaster; Kandiwa, Erick; Mbiri, Pricilla; Madzingira, Oscar
    This survey investigated the perceptions of 177 respondents on the value, socioeconomic roles, husbandry practices, health and welfare of donkeys in six communities from the //Kharas region of Namibia. Most respondents were males (71.2%) over 40 years of age (37.3%), of the Nama tribe (79.7%) that were unemployed (74.6%). Most of the respondents’ households owned up to three donkeys (47.5%) which were mostly inherited (45.8%). The monetary value of donkeys ranged from US$67.00-100.00. Donkey-drawn carts with more than four donkeys/cart (50.8%) were used for 30 to 50 km journeys once/week (81.4%). Most respondents did not house (78%), feed (71.2%) or water (67.8%) their donkeys. Donkeys grazed extensively and drank water from communal water points. Most respondents ate donkey meat in not more than four meals/week (81.4%) though 62.7% of all respondents preferred donkey meat to other meat. Beating and routine husbandry practices like castration, ear-notching and hot iron branding were perceived as the main causes of pain in donkeys (59.3% and 40.7%, respectively). Lameness, ataxia and dyspnoea/diaphoresis (45.8%, 25.4% and 23.7%, respectively) were the perceived signs of pain, whilst anorexia/poor body condition and skin lesions (40.7% and 40.7%, respectively) were the perceived signs of illness reported by the respondents. Diseased donkeys were treated with Aloe vera (76.3%). Despite the majority of respondents (76.3%) reporting scarcity of veterinary services, diseased donkeys were reported by 49.2% of the respondents. The central role of donkeys in the livelihoods of respondents from the //Kharas region necessitates improvement of donkey health and welfare through better veterinary services, education and awareness campaigns.
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    Persistent Corpus Luteum in a 9 year-old Afrikaner cow: A case report
    (2017) Mushonga, Borden; Kaurivi, Boby; Chiwome, Bernard
    An Afrikaner beef cow was presented for reproductive tract assessment. Records showed that the cow was last served by a bull during an oestrus two years earlier and appeared to be pregnant ever since. Failure to deliver this pregnancy led the farm management to request an investigation into why an animal with an impeccable calving history of five calves and was in good body condition was failing to deliver this particular ‘pregnancy’. Rectal examination revealed a soft rubbery structure on the right ovary, a doughy consistency in the uterus and a tight cervix whose lumen contained a structure which felt twig-like. Examination of the ovaries after slaughter confirmed small cysts on both ovaries, a large corpus luteum occupying almost 75% of the right ovary, pyometra and that the twig-like structure in the cervical lumen was an inspissated and crystalized mucous plug. These findings supported diagnosis of a persistent corpus luteum due to pyometra.
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    Post mortem report of a Kalahari red doe that died of complications of multifactorial dystocia
    (2017) Mushonga, Borden; Chiwome, Bernard; Kandiwa, Erick; Habarugira, Gervais; Samkange, Alaster
    A triparous Kalahari Red doe was presented for post-mortem with a sero-sanguinous vulvular discharge and abdominal distension. At necropsy, two foetuses, male and female, about 3.5 kg each were observed. The left lateral abdominal muscles of the doe presented with a tear that corresponded with another tear on the lateral aspect of the left horn of the uterus and showing a partial protrusion of the cranium of a male twin. The male twin was lodged in an incompletely dilated cervix in a caudal longitudinal presentation, dorso-sacral position, and bilateral hip flexion posture. The same twin also presented with a left lateral abdominal wall rupture and herniation of the urinary bladder and intestines. The female twin was in the right uterine horn in a cranial longitudinal presentation, dorso-sacral position, but with bilateral carpal flexure. In brief, the circulatory collapse due to a multifactorial dystocia was the final diagnosis.
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    Seroprevalence of African horse sickness in selected donkey populations in Namibia
    (University of Namibia, 2020) Molini, Umberto; Zaccaria, Guendalina; Kandiwa, Erick; Mushonga, Borden; Khaiseb, S.; Ntahonshikira, Charles; Chiwome, Bernard; Baines, Ian John; Madzingira, Oscar; Savini, Giovanni; D’Alterio, Nicola
    Background and Aim: African horse sickness (AHS) is a non-contagious viral disease of horses and other equids caused by an arbovirus belonging to the Reoviridae family and genus Orbivirus. AHS is an endemic disease that is responsible for the death of a high number of horses every year in Namibia. At present, there is no information on the prevalence and distribution of AHS virus (AHSV) serotypes in the different regions of Namibia. Therefore, this survey aimed to fill this knowledge gap by investigating the AHSV seroprevalence in Namibian donkeys. Materials and Methods: A total of 260 blood samples (20 samples for each region) were randomly collected from donkeys aged between 3 and 5 years. Sera were screened for AHSV-specific immunoglobulin G antibodies using a commercial competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit and samples positive to AHSV antibodies were further tested by serum neutralization (SN) assay to evaluate the AHSV serotype-specific immune response. Results: Seroprevalence of antibodies against AHSV in Namibian donkeys was 63.5%. The AHSV prevalence was significantly higher in the northern region (64%) than in the southern region (36%). A significantly (p<0.05) higher number of donkeys had antibodies against AHSV-6 (37.8%) and AHSV-9 (37.8%). The AHSV-2, AHSV-6, and AHSV-9 prevalence were higher (p<0.05) in the northern regions compared to the southern regions. None of the donkeys in this study, however, tested positive for AHSV-8. Conclusion: Results of the current study indicate that all AHSV serotypes have either circulated previously or are circulating in Namibia except for AHSV-8. In particular, AHSV-1, -2, -3, -4, -5, -6, and -9 serotypes have circulated or are circulating in the northern region of Namibia, while AHSV-1, -4, -5, -6, -7, and -9 have infected donkeys in the south. AHSV-9 and AHSV-6 were the most prevalent serotypes detected in donkeys in this study. SN results showed that several donkeys from Kavango East, Kavango West, and Ohangwena regions had been exposed to multiple serotypes, indicating the possibility of cocirculation of several strains in Namibia.
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    West Nile virus Seroprevalence in a selected donkey population of Namibia
    (Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2021-06-18) Molini, Umberto; Franzo, Giovanni; Nel, Hannah; Khaiseb, Siegfried; Ntahonshikira, Charles; Chiwome, Bernard; Baines, Ian; Madzingira, Oscar; Monaco, Federica; Savini, Giovanni; D'Álterio, Nicola
    West Nile Virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne virus enzootically maintained in birds. However, it can incidentally infect other species, leading to sometimes severe clinical consequences like in horses and especially human beings. Despite the topic relevance, the presence and distribution of WNV are currently unknown in Namibia. Several countries implement surveillance systems based on virus detection in birds, mosquitoes, and vertebrate species including horses. The present study aimed to fill this knowledge gap by serologically evaluating WNV exposure in Namibian donkeys, whose population is remarkably bigger than the horse one. Forty-seven out of 260 sampled animals showed neutralizing antibodies against WNV (18.07% [95% CI = 13.59-23.30%]), demonstrating its circulation in all country territory, although, with apparent regional differences. On the contrary, no association with animal age or sex could be identified. The present study demonstrates the widespread presence of WNV in Namibia as well as the practical utility and effectiveness of donkeys as sentinels for infection surveillance. Due to clinical relevance, vaccination campaigns should be considered for horses of high economic or genetic value. Additionally, the burden of WNV infection on human health should be carefully evaluated.