Postoperative Surgical Site Infection (SSI) is very much associated with surgical site contamination in small animal veterinary practice, especially within veterinary teaching theatres where students frequently perform surgeries. However, there is limited quantitative data evaluating the extent of surgical site contamination in veterinary teaching hospitals, particularly regarding how intraoperative factors, theatre traffic, and adherence to aseptic protocols influence contamination levels and subsequent systemic responses in small animal patients. The study evaluated the level of surgical site contamination and the effectiveness of preventive aseptic measures employed during student-performed small animal surgeries at the Department of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology, University of Maiduguri. A prospective observational study design wherein five dogs were subjected to various surgical procedures, including gastrotomy, splenectomy, and ovariohysterectomy, was used. Swab samples were collected from the kennels, surgical packs, pre-surgical sites, intraoperative fields, immediate postoperative sites, and 3 days post-surgery for bacteriological analysis. Standard culture techniques were employed for the isolation and identification of bacterial organisms, and contamination levels were expressed as colony-forming units. Observations of aseptic practices, surgical duration, and operating theatre dynamics were also recorded, besides pre- and post-operative haematological appraisals. Results revealed an overall bacterial culture positivity rate of 78.5%, with the highest contamination observed in kennel samples and postoperative surgical sites. Staphylococcus spp. (39.28%). were the most frequently isolated organisms, followed by Escherichia coli (35.71%), Shigella spp. (35.71%), Pseudomonas spp. (21.42%), and Bacillus spp. (21.42%). The presence of postoperative haematological changes such as leukocytosis, neutrophilia, and monocytosis provided evidence that there was a systemic response to surgical contamination. This study confirms that, surgical site contamination in student surgical procedures in part occurs as a result of both intraoperative and postoperative parameters. There is a need for heightened awareness in aseptic practice, reduced theatre traffic, and upgraded environmental or postoperative wound care.

This case report describes the successful surgical management of a six-month-old male African Helmeted Turtle (Pelomedusa spp.) that sustained a shell fracture with intestinal herniation following a hit-by-car incident. Clinical examination revealed bilateral shell fractures with protrusion of the intestinal tract through the right sided defect, multiple miliary intestinal perforations, moderate to severe dehydration, and absence of faecal output. The patient was stabilized with fluid therapy, analgesia, and wound protection prior to surgery. Based on clinical assessment, a diagnosis of partial intestinal rupture associated with shell fracture was made, and the turtle was classified as American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) physical status III. Surgical management involved intestinal resection of the devitalized segment followed by end-to-end anastomosis using absorbable suture material in a simple interrupted pattern. The herniated intestine was thoroughly irrigated and reduced into the coelomic cavity. Postoperative management included antimicrobial therapy, analgesia, fluid support, assisted feeding, and strict confinement. Recovery was uneventful, with gradual improvement in responsiveness, return of voluntary water intake by day 10, and faecal output by the third postoperative week. At 30 days post-surgery, the turtle demonstrated near-normal activity and complete gastrointestinal functional recovery without complications.

Laccases are multicopper oxidase enzymes with significant industrial and environmental applications, including bioremediation and the degradation of textile dyes. This study investigated laccase production by Pleurotus ostreatus using submerged fermentation and assessed its decolourisation potential. Lignocellulosic wastes, including sugarcane bagasse, rice straw, maize cob, conifer litters, and maize straw, were evaluated as substrates for laccase production. Parameters such as carbon and nitrogen sources, pH, inoculum size, and incubation period were optimised. Enzyme activity was quantified using 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) as a substrate, characterised with respect to metal ions, pH, temperature, and time, and decolourisation ability was determined using various dyes. The highest laccase yield (435.04 µU/L) was recorded in a medium containing 1% of maize straw, supplemented with 1% glucose as the carbon source and 0.1% peptone as the nitrogen source, at an initial pH of 7.0, inoculated with four circular 7 mm Pleurotus ostreatus plugs, and incubated for 6 days. Metal ions affected laccase activity. Activity was stable across a wide pH range (3.6–9.5), with the highest activity recorded at pH 8.0. Laccase activity was also stable across temperatures (25–60℃) and time periods (10–60 minutes). Pleurotus ostreatus laccase decolourised malachite green and Leishman blue by 21.8% and 21.4%, respectively. Laccase production by Pleurotus ostreatus was optimised through submerged fermentation, promoting the utilisation of agro-wastes and offering a scalable method for industrial enzyme production. Dyes were decolourised by laccase, demonstrating the enzyme’s potential and its application in the textile industry.