VALIDATION OF HERBAL MEDICINE (LUWINE) FOR THE CONTROL OF AFRICAN SWINE FEVER IN UPPER EAST REGION OF GHANA

Abstract

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious viral disease that affect domestic pigs and it is characterized by fever, blotching of skin, and haemorrhage of the lymph nodes, internal organs and the gastrointestinal tract. The prevention and cure of ASF will depend on management practices by farmers, observance of biosecurity measures, the immune system of the pig, and the control of secondary infections. This study was therefore, carried out to determine the knowledge and management of African swine fever by farmers in the Upper East Region (UER) of Ghana. The study also assessed the effects of ‘Luwine’ (a local herbal medicine prepared from the root of Sarcocephalus latifolius and dry bark peels of Pseudocedrela kotschyi) to control ASF and the secondary infectious associated with ASF. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to determine the knowledge and management of ASF among 250 pig farmers. Experiments were conducted using ‘Luwine’ and/or standard antibiotics to control ASF and bacteria (non-fastidious and fastidious bacteria) associated with ASF secondary infections. Pig farmers were mostly males (83.52%), between 30-35years (63%), had non-formal education (30%) and have kept pigs for less than 5 years (45.05%). Pig farmers also engaged in other economic activities (81.62%), used own labour on the farm (42.12%), obtained feed from the local market (94.14%) and provided their pigs with pipe borne water (92.62%). An average of 20 pigs per farm suffered and died from ASF outbreak in the study area and the mortalities were more in piglets (36.28%) than other age groups. Most farmers (67.14%) reported and sort veterinary advice during ASF attack on their farms, and the veterinary officers confined diseased pigs (67.59%). The survey revealed that outbreaks of ASF occurred most in poor pig farmers’ farms than the well-resourced farmers. ASF pigs treated with ‘Luwine’ recorded less mortality than the control group (difference of means in terms of mortality was up to 5 pigs). The non-fastidious and fastidious bacteria were all resistant to ‘Luwine’. The non-fastidious bacteria were highly susceptible to azithromycin (100%), gentamicin (100%) and amoxycillin/clavulanic acid (80%), but resistant to teicoplanin (70%). The fastidious bacteria were highly susceptible to gentamicin (70%) and suphamethoxazole/trimethoprim (70%), but resistant to ceftriaxone (100%), teicoplanin (100%) and chloramphenicol (80%). Multidrug resistant occurred between the non fastidious (50%) and fastidious (90%) bacteria. The administration of ‘Luwine’ could not cure ASF since mortality was increased with days. The non-fastidious bacteria were generally more resistant than the fastidious bacteria. ‘Luwine’ was not effective against the bacteria associated with secondary infections in ASF pigs. Among the antibiotics, gentamicin was the best for controlling bacteria associated with ASF pigs. Strict biosecurity should be observed among farmers and stakeholders should compensate farmers whose farm experience ASF outbreaks.