Gross Pathology of Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia in Cattle at Sokoto Central Abattoir, Sokoto State

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides is a highly contagious respiratory disease that continues to devastate cattle herds in Nigeria's North West geopolitical zone. This descriptive study investigated the gross pathological features of CBPP in cattle slaughtered at Sokoto Central Abattoir, Sokoto State, over a period of six months in 2023. A total of 300 bovine carcasses were subjected to systematic post-mortem examination with particular attention to thoracic cavity contents and lung morphology. Carcasses showing macroscopic evidence of CBPP were recorded, photographed, and the lungs weighed. The overall prevalence of CBPP gross lesions was 14.0 percent. Characteristic findings included marbled discolouration of consolidated lung parenchyma with prominent interlobular septal distension, fibrinous pleuritis with pleural adhesions, encapsulated pulmonary sequestra, and accumulation of straw-coloured pleural fluid. The right lung was more frequently involved than the left. Lesion severity was categorised using a standardised scoring system adapted from recent OIE diagnostic guidelines. A significant association was found between lesion severity and animal age, with older cattle displaying more chronic sequestration. These pathological features are characteristic of CBPP as described in contemporary African literature. The study strongly advocates for systematic pre-movement veterinary certification, targeted CBPP vaccination programmes in Sokoto State, and improved surveillance capacity at border trade points. Keywords: CBPP, Mycoplasma mycoides, gross pathology, cattle, Sokoto