A retrospective study (2015-2019) of avian salmonellosis diagnosed at the Central Diagnostic Laboratory of the National Veterinary Institute, Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria

Salmonella organisms are widely distributed in nature and survive well in a variety of food and contamination and can occur at multiple steps along the food chain. The study was conducted at the Central Diagnostic Laboratory of the National Veterinary Research Institute (N.V.R.I) located in Vom Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State Nigeria. Information was obtained via postmortem records and laboratory results that isolated Salmonella species were retrieved and analyzed retrospectively in the study area for five years. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data while tables were used for result proportions presented in percentages. A total of 2512 cases of poultry diseases were documented for a period of five years from 2015 to 2019 with an average of 502.4 cases annually. A total of 436 of salmonellosis was documented during the period under review and an average of 87.2 cases annually. 24.4% prevalence was recorded in 2018 and 12.4% in 2015. 2019 had the highest prevalence of 28.4 with an average avian salmonellosis prevalence of 19%. 24.6% avian salmonellosis was recorded in the age bracket of 5 to 8 weeks, 29.5% was documented in the age bracket of 9 to 12 weeks which was the second highest and 33.3% in the age bracket of 0 to 4 which was the highest. Avian salmonellosis affects all types of birds. Out of 436 positive avian salmonellosis cases recorded in the period under review, 251 were layers while 156 were broilers with 29 being local birds and cockerels. This study does explicitly indicate that avian salmonellosis is highly prevalence in the study area and this could play a great role in lowering poultry productivity in the study area, thereby highlighting the need for effective health programs like good biosecurity practices and vaccination in order to boost poultry production.