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Infections with Staphylococcus aureus pose a serious public health threat due to high levels of antibiotic resistance and limited efficacy of alternative therapeutics. There has been a great deal of interest in developing novel therapeutics that target virulence factors essential during infection. However, it remains largely unknown if these factors are required at specific stages of the infection, and whether all bacterial cells or a limited subset express them. Here, we sought to examine virulence factor expression using fluorescent reporter strains that would indicate activity of two master regulators of virulence in S. aureus , Agr and Sae. While Agr appeared inactive during kidney abscess development, the Sae system exhibited heterogeneity, increased expression at later stages, and was required for abscess progression. These results provide critical information for the development of virulence factor-targeting strategies for kidney abscess treatment.

Virulence factors are required for bacterial pathogens to establish infection, however, their expression can be energetically costly, and must be tightly controlled to avoid fitness costs. Expression can be controlled at specific stages during infection (temporal regulation) or expressed by small subsets of the bacterial population (spatial regulation). There has been a great deal of interest in developing virulence factor-targeting strategies to combat infection, but the spatiotemporal regulation of the virulence factor master regulatory systems (Agr, Sae) has not been explored during kidney abscess formation. This information is critical for the design of therapeutics targeting these pathways. Here, we utilized a fluorescent transcriptional reporter approach to visualize dynamics in Agr and Sae activity during abscess formation in the mouse kidney. We categorized kidney abscess formation into four stages, then defined spatiotemporal gene expression. Agr signalling appeared inactive in the kidney; consistent with this, mutant abscesses fully developed. In contrast, we observed heterogeneous (ON/OFF) activity of Sae at early stages where bacteria were found intracellularly within neutrophils. Sae activity increased as abscesses developed, and heterogeneity in spatial patterning was observed, but patterns varied between abscesses suggesting distinct microenvironments within individual abscesses. Consistent with a requirement for Sae activity during abscess development, the mutant did not develop abscesses past early stages. These results have implications for the genes regulated by Agr and Sae, and suggest a requirement for Sae activity during kidney abscess development. Infections with pose a serious public health threat due to high levels of antibiotic resistance and limited efficacy of alternative therapeutics. There has been a great deal of interest in developing novel therapeutics that target virulence factors essential during infection. However, it remains largely unknown if these factors are required at specific stages of the infection, and whether all bacterial cells or a limited subset express them. Here we sought to examine virulence factor expression using fluorescent reporter strains that would indicate activity of two master regulators of virulence in , Agr and Sae. While Agr appeared inactive during kidney abscess development, the Sae system exhibited heterogeneity, increased expression at later stages, and was required for abscess progression. These results provide critical information for the development of virulence factor-targeting strategies for kidney abscess treatment.

We analyzed tissue and serum samples from 124 wild animals from communities with confirmed mpox cases in Nigeria. Tissue samples were PCR-negative, but serum samples from 8 animals (6.45%)-3 feral cats, 4 giant pouched rats, and 1 shrew-revealed Orthopoxvirus antibodies, suggesting these species as probable reservoirs.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a vector-borne viral hemorrhagic disease with global clinical significance. Certain species of ticks are vectors of CCHF, which can be transmitted from animals to humans and humans to humans by direct exposure to blood or other body fluids. The zoonotic transmission at the human–animal interface from viremic animal hosts to humans is a public health concern with a paucity of data in Nigeria. Samples from 184 pastoral cattle from three local government areas (LGAs) of Plateau state, Nigeria, were screened for CCHF virus using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ID Screen® CCHF Double Antigen for Multi-Species). Overall seropositivity of 30.4% (n = 56) (95% CI: 23.88%, 37.63%) was recorded from the study areas in Plateau State, while 48/126 (38.1%, 95% CI: 29.59%, 47.17%) sampled cows tested positive for CCHFV antibodies. Seropositivity was significantly higher (p < 0.001) among older cattle greater than two years, 54.69% (95% CI: 2.88%, 11.24%) compared to cattle younger than two years, 17.5% (95% CI: 11.17%, 25.50%). The location of farms played a significant role in the seropositivity of CCHF with the least risk observed in Wase LGA. CCHF is an important zoonotic disease in different parts of the globe with a high risk of transmission to pastoralists, livestock keepers/slaughterhouse workers, and veterinarians who handle animals. There is a need for a collaborative one-health approach with various stakeholders to unravel the dynamics of CCHFV epidemiology in Nigeria.

To investigate animal reservoirs of monkeypox virus in Nigeria, we sampled 240 rodents during 2018-2019. Molecular (real-time PCR) and serologic (IgM) evidence indicated orthopoxvirus infections, but presence of monkeypox virus was not confirmed. These results can be used to develop public health interventions to reduce human infection with orthopoxviruses.

Introduction Given the growing number of Alzheimer’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease Related Dementias (AD/ADRD) genomics research projects and the vulnerabilities of study participants, it is critical to evaluate the literature on the ethical challenges in such studies to ensure high ethical standards. Methods We conducted a systematic review of the literature on ethical issues in AD/ADRD genomics research. We searched Embase, PsycINFO, CiNAHL, Scopus, and Ovid Medline for empirical and normative papers published in peer-reviewed journals on the ethical issues involved in conducting genomics research among persons with AD/ADRD. We used ethical principles from an existing framework as a priori codes to categorize the ethical issues and adapted another framework of Dementia Research Ethical Issues (DREI) as subcategories for our synthesis. We used the 2021 PRISMA guidelines to guide our study. Results We screened 5,509 papers and included 27 of these papers in the systematic review after deduplication, title, and full-text review. The papers contained 109 ethical issues that were mapped against 42 out of 75 relevant DREIs. The highest number of DREIs were mapped to “respect for persons and communities”, “favorable risk-benefit ratio”, “informed consent” and “scientific validity”. The least mapped principles to the DREIs were “fair participant selection”, “independent review”, “social value”, and “collaborative partnership”. Conclusion Our review showed that there is a dearth of literature on the ethical principles of “fair participant selection”, “independent review”, “social value” and “collaborative partnership” in genomics research on AD/ADRDs. It is difficult to draw firm conclusions from the distribution of attention paid to specific principles because these may only reflect the concerns of AD/ADRD genomics research ethicists in high-income countries. There is need for more research on the ethics of AD/ADRD genomics research in low and middle-income countries for a more balanced account of the important ethical considerations in this field.

To achieve the global eradication of Peste des petits ruminants (PPR), the epidemiological role of atypical hosts must be fully understood. Among domestic animals, pigs are, until now, the only species that has proven to fulfil criteria relevant for hosts to act as disease reservoir. This entails the susceptibility to infection via contact with infected animals as well as the shedding of infectious virus, resulting in new infections. However, these features have been observed only in infection experiments, lacking information from the field. In this study, for the first time, we provide evidence for frequent PPR virus exposure in pigs, detected in Nigeria. The prevailing husbandry systems targeted for sampling entailed predominantly free roaming pigs and small ruminants. The sampling area was selected on the basis of the occurrence of endemic PPR in small ruminants in recent years. Sera from 183 small ruminants and 495 pigs were analysed. The 25.68% apparent seroprevalence (95% CI 19.5–32.7 at the population level) observed in small ruminants matched values detected in Nigeria. The apparent seroprevalence in pigs of 4.24% (95% CI 2.6–6.5 at the population level) distributed across Nigeria provides evidence that PPR infections in pigs are not rare events. The ability of swine populations to propagate and maintain autonomous PPR infections over time remains to be clarified at this stage. Countries engaged in PPR eradication with substantial pig populations under extensive husbandry practices, including contact with small ruminants, should, however, consider surveillance strategies that address this possibly problematic interspecies interaction.

Lumpy Skin disease (LSD) is an economically important disease in cattle caused by the LSD virus (LSDV) of the genus Capripoxvirus, while pseudocowpox (PCP) is a widely distributed zoonotic cattle disease caused by the PCP virus (PCPV) of the genus Parapoxvirus. Though both viral pox infections are reportedly present in Nigeria, similarities in their clinical presentation and limited access to laboratories often lead to misdiagnosis in the field. This study investigated suspected LSD outbreaks in organized and transhumance cattle herds in Nigeria in 2020. A total of 42 scab/skin biopsy samples were collected from 16 outbreaks of suspected LSD in five northern States of Nigeria. The samples were analyzed using a high-resolution multiplex melting (HRM) assay to differentiate poxviruses belonging to Orthopoxvirus, Capripoxvirus, and Parapoxvirus genera. LSDV was characterized using four gene segments, namely the RNA polymerase 30 kDa subunit (RPO30), G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), the extracellular enveloped virus (EEV) glycoprotein and CaPV homolog of the variola virus B22R. Likewise, the partial B2L gene of PCPV was also analyzed. Nineteen samples (45.2%) were positive according to the HRM assay for LSDV, and five (11.9%) were co-infected with LSDV and PCPV. The multiple sequence alignments of the GPCR, EEV, and B22R showed 100% similarity among the Nigerian LSDV samples, unlike the RPO30 phylogeny, which showed two clusters. Some of the Nigerian LSDVs clustered within LSDV SG II were with commonly circulating LSDV field isolates in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, while the remaining Nigerian LSDVs produced a unique sub-group. The B2L sequences of Nigerian PCPVs were 100% identical and clustered within the PCPV group containing cattle/Reindeer isolates, close to PCPVs from Zambia and Botswana. The results show the diversity of Nigerian LSDV strains. This paper also reports the first documented co-infection of LSDV and PCPV in Nigeria.

Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever virus (CCHFV) has circulated in Nigeria for over five decades, yet its public health significance remains underestimated despite recurrent serological and molecular detection in livestock, ticks, and humans. This review synthesizes epidemiological evidence, bibliometric trends, and S-segment clade diversity to clarify the virus’s burden, research progression, and emerging risks. Published literature from PubMed, Google Scholar, and AJOL, totalling 18, reveals persistent enzootic transmission driven by livestock movement, pastoralism, agricultural expansion, and intensifying human-animal-vector interfaces. The absence of confirmed clinical cases likely reflects surveillance blind spots, limited diagnostic capacity, subclinical infections among high-risk occupational groups, and systemic underreporting rather than a true absence of transmission. Bibliometric analysis shows extremely low national research output, averaging one publication yearly over nearly six decades, with international collaboration. Molecular assessment of 132 S-segment sequences demonstrates global predominance of clades IV and V, while Clade III circulates in Nigeria, indicating notable viral heterogeneity and reinforcing the need for routine genomic monitoring. Structural gaps remain substantial, including the lack of dedicated tick surveillance, weak integration of CCHFV into priority zoonotic disease frameworks, inconsistent vector control, and inadequate laboratory capacity. Broader health-system constraints, such as insecurity in livestock-producing regions and limited access to diagnostic tools for viral haemorrhagic fevers, further heighten national vulnerability. Strengthening preparedness will require a coordinated One Health approach, emphasizing systematic sero-surveillance, expanded molecular diagnostics, improved clinical recognition, integrated vector monitoring, and sustained research investment.

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), together with sheeppox virus and goatpox virus, belong to the genus Capripoxvirus within the family Poxviridae. Collectively, they are considered the most serious poxvirus diseases of agricultural livestock. Due to their severe clinical course and consequent loss of production, as well as high mortality of naïve small and large ruminant populations, they are known to have a significant impact on the economy and global trade restrictions of affected countries. Therefore, all capripox diseases are classified as notifiable under the guidelines of the World Organization of Animal Health (OIE). Since the 1970s, several outbreaks of LSD have been recorded in Nigeria. Until now, only a little information on the virus strains leading to the reported outbreaks have been published, dealing mainly with the phylogenetic relationship of those strains and the description of field outbreaks. During the present study, we experimentally infected cattle with a low-passage Nigerian LSDV strain isolated from a skin sample of LSD positive cattle in Nigeria in 2018. Clinical, molecular and serological data indicate that this LSDV isolate is highly pathogenic in cattle since it induced a severe clinical course and approximately 33% mortality in naïve Holstein Friesian cattle after experimental infection.