Hygiene Standards and Zoonotic Risks in Cattle Transit Corridors of North West Nigeria

Long-distance cattle transit corridors in northern Nigeria facilitate trade but also create conditions for zoonotic pathogen dissemination across geopolitical zones. This study assessed hygiene standards and zoonotic risks in cattle transit corridors passing through Zamfara and Sokoto States in North West Nigeria. An observational cross-sectional design was employed. Five major transit staging areas were assessed using a hygiene and biosecurity audit tool. Blood samples from 100 transiting cattle were screened for brucellosis and trypanosomiasis using Rose Bengal Plate Test and buffy coat methods. Structured interviews were conducted with 60 herdsmen and transit market workers regarding animal health status, treatment history, and cross-border movement patterns. Hygiene conditions at all five staging areas were rated unsatisfactory, with no functional water supply, inadequate waste management, and absence of quarantine pens for sick animals. Brucellosis seroprevalence in transiting cattle was 16%, and trypanosomiasis was confirmed in 11% of sampled animals. Herdsmen reported administering medications without veterinary supervision and rarely sought official health clearance before transit. The study concludes that cattle transit corridors in North West Nigeria are active channels for zoonotic pathogen spread and require urgent public health governance. Establishing transit veterinary checkpoints, mandatory health certificates for transiting animals, and worker health screening at transit staging areas are recommended. Keywords: cattle transit, zoonotic risk, hygiene, North West Nigeria, livestock movement