Background and Aim: Heat stress is a major challenge for animals, impairing their welfare and performance. This study aimed to determine the effect of heat stress on the vital and hematobiochemical parameters of healthy dogs. Materials and Methods: The experimental subjects comprised 10 dogs, encompassing seven males and three non-pregnant females between 2 and 3 years of age. Ambient temperature (AT) and relative humidity (RH) were recorded 2 hourly during the day and the temperature humidity index was calculated. Vital parameters [i.e., rectal temperature (RT), respiratory rate, and heart rate (HR)] were assessed and blood was collected from each dog daily for hematobiochemical analysis. Results: The RT (38.5±0.2°C) of dogs exposed to high AT and high RH (HA/HR) conditions was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of dogs exposed to HA and low RH (LR) conditions (37.2±0.11°C). Under HA/HR conditions, packed cell volume, hemoglobin concentrations, and white blood cell counts were significantly lower than those of the same dogs exposed to HA/LR conditions. Conversely, under HA/HR conditions, the lymphocyte, monocyte, eosinophil, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and cortisol values were significantly higher (p<0.05) than the values obtained in dogs exposed to HA/LR conditions. Meanwhile, the alkaline phosphatase, urea, and glucose levels were significantly lower (p<0.05) in dogs exposed to HA/HR conditions. Conclusion: The exposure of healthy dogs to HA/HR conditions induced heat stress, which may have an adverse effect on their immune status, thereby affecting their health and welfare.

This study investigates the comparative hepatoprotective activity of crude ethanol extracts ofCuscuta australisagainst acetaminophen (APAP) intoxication. Thirty-six rats were randomly divided into six groups of 6 replicates: Group 1 which served as control received water. Group 2 was orally administered 835 mg/kg body wt. of paracetamol on day 8. Groups 3 and 4 were orally administered ethanolic extracts of the seed ofCuscuta australisin doses of 125 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg, respectively, for 7 days and then intoxicated as in Group 2 on the 8th day. Groups 5 and 6 received similar oral doses ofCuscuta australisstem extracts for 7 days and then intoxicated as in Groups 3 and 4. Group 2 rats showed severe periportal hepatic necrosis, significantly elevated serum hepatic injury markers, markedly increased lipid peroxidation, and decreased hepatic antioxidant enzymes activities. Remarkably,Cuscuta australis(seed and stem) extract pretreatments in Groups 3, 4, 5, and 6, most especially, the stem extract pretreatment in Groups 5 and 6, improved better the hepatic histoarchitecture, the hepatocellular, and the oxidative stress injury markers in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusively, ethanol extractions ofCuscuta australisstem appear to protect the liver from acetaminophen intoxication better than the seed counterpart.

Despite the proven effectiveness of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) in reducing malaria incidence and mortality, their usage among children in Africa remains inadequate. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to ascertain the prevalence of ITN usage for malaria control among children in Africa. This review was registered with Prospero (CRD42023474978). A search was conducted in Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar for publications between 2013 and 2023. The study population was children in Africa, the intervention was ITN utilization, and the prevalence of ITN use was the outcome. The Jonna Briggs Institute (JBI) criteria were used to evaluate the quality of the included studies. A random effects model determined the overall pooled prevalence of ITN utilization. A sub-group analysis was carried out based on regions of Africa. Egger's Regression-based test was used to identify publication bias. This review included 30 studies with 76,045 children, 50 households, and 1009 caregivers. Among the 30 included studies, 26 (86.7%) determined the ITN utilization in children, three (10%) evaluated the use of ITN by caregivers of children, and one (3.3%) article reported ITN utilization in households with children. In addition, 28 (93.3%) studies were cross-sectional. The pooled prevalence of ITN utilization was 69.50% with a 95% CI (64.5–74.5%). Statistically significant heterogeneity was observed (I2 = 100%, p = 0.001). ITN utilization was highest in Central Africa (85.44%, 95% CI 85.3–85.6), followed by Southern Africa (80.7%, 95%CI 80.6–80.9) and Eastern Africa (69.2%, 95%CI 63.8–74.6), and lowest in West Africa (67.0%, 95% CI 56.2–77.8). The prevalence of ITN utilization among children in Africa is low and varies by region. This utilization needs to be improved.

The ameliorative effects of Moringa oleifera leaf extract on cardiovascular functions and osmotic fragility of wistar rats exposed to petrol vapour

This paper presents a case study of Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria, whose traditional ethnoveterinary practices risk being lost as the country transitions to more intensive and enclosed livestock practices. We use a planetary health framing to make visible the value of indigenous practices that are less damaging to the environment, animal welfare, and human health. Through ethnographic observation, focus group discussions (FGDs), and key stakeholder interviews, we show that the Fulani use a complex system of herbal medicines and traditional herding practices to maintain herd health, and to manage and treat animal disease when it arises. However, their traditions often sit uncomfortably with commercial farming practices. As traditional Fulani grazing lands are eroded, dispossessed Fulani take employment from businessmen farmers. Both parties’ inexperience with shed hygiene, artificial feed, and less environmentally resilient crossbreeds leads to an increased incidence of infectious disease. This, in turn, drives the higher use of antibiotics. There is, thus, a ‘causal chain’ of underlying drivers that lead, through poorer environmental, animal, and human health, to the increased use of antibiotics. The antibiotic resistance that emerges from this chain threatens human health now and in the future. Through a planetary health framing, we advocate for a deeper understanding of the knowledge held by Fulani herdsmen and their traditional ethnoveterinary practices as an alternative to increasing antibiotic use (ABU).