Postgraduate School
Master of Science in Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine
M.Sc. Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine
| Names | Status and Qualification | Research Interest (s) |
| J. O. Aiyedun | Reader & Ag. Head of Department. DVM, M.PVM., Ph.D. (Ibadan); FCVSN (Abuja) | Viral Zoonoses, Epidemiology, Preventive Veterinary Medicine |
| Nusirat Elelu | Reader, DVM (Maiduguri); MPH (Ibadan); Ph.D. (Bristol); FCVSN (Abuja) | Vector-Borne, Bacterial and Parasitic Zoonoses, Epidemiology |
| I. A. Odetokun | Senior Lecturer, DVM, M.VPH., Ph.D. (Ibadan); FCVSN (Abuja) | Epidemiology and Bacterial Zoonoses |
| O. O. Oludairo | Senior Lecturer, DVM (Ibadan); M.Sc., Ph.D. (ABU, Zaria); FASLM (Abuja) | Food safety, Bacterial zoonoses, Preventive Medicine |
| I. M. Ghali | Senior Lecturer, DVM (ABU, Zaria); MPH (Ilorin); Ph.D. (Ibadan); FCVSN (Abuja) | Food Safety, Biostatistics and Bacterial Zoonoses |
B. Introduction
The M.Sc. Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine is for the development of professional competence in Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine. It is designed to expand knowledge of public health problems as well as generate/communicate practical solutions to topical issues locally, nationally and internationally.
C. Philosophy
The philosophy of the M.Sc. Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine programme is designed to further enhance the knowledge and skills of Veterinary Public Health professionals in order to understand the mechanisms of pathogenesis and management of diseases for overall prevention and control in the population.
D. Aim and Objectives
The M.Sc. Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine program is aimed at providing in- depth knowledge and research skills in the area of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine. The objectives of the programme are to:
E. Admission Requirements
Candidates seeking admission into the M.Sc. Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine programme shall be required to meet the following requirements:
F. Duration of Programme
G. Detailed Course Description
VTC 813 Biomedical Research Methodology and Communication 2 Credits
History and legal basis of research ethic. Ethical requirements. Ethical review procedure. Ethical issues and requirements: data protection, privacy, informed consent, research on animals and humans, dual use. Identifying research fields. Identifying funding resources. Developing a grant proposal: basic components of a grant proposal, budget and udgeting, research planning and design. Writing research protocol. Submitting a research proposal. Implementing the research project. Describing and analysing research results. Interpreting research results. Report writing. Management control in biomedical research. Challenges and opportunities in collaborative scientific research. Research communication: communicating to scientists, funding agencies, health professionals, policymakers, patients/clients, community and public media. Writing scientific paper; Publishing a scientific paper. Making scientific presentations. 30h (T); C
VPH 815 Biostatistics 2 Credits
Study designs. Scales of measurement. Quality of measurement and statistical variables/data. Qualitative and quantitative data sources. Sampling and sample size determination. Data organization: Statistics charts, tables, graphs, frequency tables, frequency distribution, histogram, stem and leaf plot, box plot. Summary indices: mean, median, modes, variance, standard deviation. Probability distributions: normal, binomial, Poisson distribution. Descriptive statistics, tables for qualitative and quantitative data, diagrams, and types of diagrams. Data summarisation: summary indices, measures of central tendency and dispersion. Test of statistical hypothesis. Confidence intervals. Parametric and non-parametric tests. Z-test for proportions. Chi-square test. Fischer‘s exact test and T-test. Analysis of variance. Regression and correlation. Spearman rank and Kendal correlation. 15h(T); 45h (P); C
VPH 817 Bioinformatics 2 Credits
Bioinformatics: Introduction, principles and application in Veterinary Medicine. Software and data manipulation. GenBank. Nucleic acid amplification and sequencing. Use of Gene sequences analysis software (BioEdit®, MEGA, CLC etc). Phylogenetic tree construction and analysis. 15h (T);, 45h (P); C
VPH 801 Zoonoses 2 Credits
A review of zoonotic diseases, their classification, prevention, reservoir, risk groups, detection and prevalence. Bacterial zoonoses: anthrax, brucellosis salmonellosis, staphylococcosis. Viral zoonoses: rabies, avian influenza, dengue and other arboviral infections, Lassa. Parasitic zoonoses: human African trypanosomiasis, fascioliasis, cysticercosis, lymphatic filariasis, drancuculiasis, schistosomiasis. Rickettsial and fungal zoonoses. Other emerging and re-emerging zoonotic infections. Factors influencing the occurrence of emerging and re-emerging zoonotic disease. Control of zoonoses. 15h(T);45h (P); C
VPH 802 Environmental Pollution and Animal Health 2 Credits Environmental health and pollution defined: Industrial, farm and abattoir wastes, their roles in the maintenance of animal disease cycles and zoonoses. Airborne infections: Q- fever, psittacosis. Control of air and waterborne infections. Environmental sanitation and disinfection. Vector control and improvement of animal housing and premises. Understanding water, sewage, and air quality control. Environmental hazards such as liquid and solid wastes in relation to animal health. Microbial examination of water, sampling procedure and storage. Water microbiological tests: Total viable count (TVC). Reported case studies on microbial quality of water meant for human consumption in Nigeria. Role of pollution in antimicrobial resistance. 15h (T);, 45h (P); C
VPH 803 Advanced Food Hygiene 3 Credits
Animal food chain. Good practices at the primary production level. Understanding meat quality: pathology (common lesions), its biochemistry, food microbiology, meat spoilage, meat preservation. Transportation of live animals, meat-borne diseases. Components and functions of meat hygiene laboratories. Laboratory preparation and processing techniques and examination of the microbial flora of processed meats; evaluation of meat products and storage. Hygiene in milk production, collection and handling. Inspection of milk and milk products. Refrigeration and pasteurization. Nomadic milk production. Hygienic preparation of milk products such as soft cheese (―wara‖), butter, and powdered milk. Milk preservation, storage and quality control, Public health and hygiene in milk processing. Inspection of fish and diseases/conditions of public health importance. The concepts of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP): HACCP principle, plan and methodology, Traceability and Food Safety, Residues in food of animal origin, Food Residue Avoidance Data Bank (FARAD). Field practical. 30h (T); 45h (P); C
VPH 804 Animal By-Products Utilization 1 Credit
A variety of animal by-products: hides and skin, pancreas, blood, hooves, hair, wool, and feathers. Pharmaceutical. Gut and ruminal contents: their uses in non-food and food preparations. Meat, blood and bone meals. Food handling, sorting, packaging, distribution and retailing. Production and inspection of canned meat and fish products. 15h (T); E
VPH 805 Advanced Abattoir Management 1 Credit
Types of slaughter facilities. Abattoirs and their descriptions, drawings, specification, location, equipment, civil work and constructions, and cold room design. Municipal abattoirs and slaughter slabs. Management of municipal and export abattoirs. Incinerator and compost sheds for condemned meats and manure sludge tanks (aerobic and anaerobic ponds). Practical study visits to abattoirs and slabs in Nigeria. 15h (T); C
VPH 811 Advanced Veterinary Epidemiology 3 Credits
Basic concept of epidemiology: Agent, hosts and environment. Disease occurrence, maintenance and transmission of infection. Rates, epidemiological methods and clinical trials. Descriptive epidemiology. Outbreak investigation and phase (descriptive, diagnostic, investigative, experimental, analytical intervention, decision making, monitoring and evaluation). Application of participatory epidemiology in animal disease control and prevention, advantages, principles, tools and methods. Planning and evaluation of an epidemiological project, risk assessment, communication and management. Curative versus preventive medicine. Concept of herd immunity. Criteria for assessing priorities in animal disease control. Methods and strategies for prevention and control of major diseases of livestock/poultry. 30h (T); 45h (P); C
VPH 813 Disease Surveillance and Emergency Preparedness 1 Credit
Definitions, classification of diseases of man, other terrestrial and aquatic animals, Disease patterns, Disease surveillance, Maps and grid reference, Uses of GIS in disease mapping, Risk assessment, National animal disease information system (NADIS), Epi Info, Transboundary Animal Diseases (TAD) info. Diagnosis, treatment and control of transboundary animal diseases, Travel diseases of man, Role of international organisations in disease surveillance, Emergency preparedness including early warning systems and TADs. Uses of computers in disease surveillance like internet, electronic mail. Practical exercises. OIE pathways for declaration of freedom from diseases. 15h (T); C
VTP 815 Extension and Community Development 2 Credits
Comparison between principles, concepts and processes of extension education. Adult education. Community, rural and agricultural development. Concepts of human development: intelligence, individual differences, teaching, learning, motivation and emotion, and their relation to extension education. Concept of participatory: definition importance and principles of participatory rural appraisal (PRA). Tools and techniques: space, time and relationship. Farming systems analysis. Gender analysis. Data analysis: organizing the data, quantitative and qualitative data analysis. Communicating result: written and graphics. General sociology theory: analysis of rural social systems, the relation of the individual to social change and community organisation, special topics in rural sociology. Effective learning situations in rural areas, extension teaching-learning process. Principles of adult learning. The practice of selected extension methods including demonstrations, meetings tours, exhibitions andaudio–visual aids. Principles and concepts of programme planning and evaluation as applied to agricultural extension. Basic steps in programme development: determination of needs definition of problems, setting up of objectives, development of a plan, obtaining staff and clientele commitment to action, programme implementation and appraisal. 15h (T); 45h (P); E
VPH 818 Laboratory Biosafety and Biosecurity 1 Credit
Laboratory biosafety and biosecurity: definitions. Classification of organisms based on risk levels, national and international classification. Nosocomial infections, occupational risks and laboratory-acquired infection (LAIs). Select agents. rDNA/Synthetic Nucleic acid (recombinant) guidelines. Biosafety levels: Laboratory animal biosafety levels, Biosafety cabinets, HEPA filters, Biosafety level designs and operations, risk communication and management. Veterinary hospital and clinic biosecurity. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), animal restraint, containment and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Bio-hazardous waste management. Biosafety committees, organizations and associations. 15h (T); E
VPH 821 Herd Health Management 1 Credit
Design of health programmes for dairy, beef, goats, sheep and poultry with a view to reducing diseases and increasing productivity. Biosecurity measures in livestock production. Livestock-Crop Farmer conflict (matters arising and way forward). General antigenicity and immunogenicity in relation to animal vaccines, vaccine types, vaccination procedures (precautions, advantages and disadvantages), determination of vaccine efficacy, planning vaccination campaign. 15h (T); C
VPH 822 Economics of Animal Production and Disease Control 1 Credit
Evaluating economic losses due to diseases, monetary compensation from losses due to diseases (e.g during avian influenza outbreak). Economic appraisal of animal health and production projects.Introduction to projects, inputs and outputs and relationship to biological processes. Types of veterinary projects. Valuations of cost items: social benefit analysis, internal rate of return and cost-effectiveness index. Project feasibility. Uses of computers in decision making. 15h (T); C
VPH 824 Advanced Veterinary Jurisprudence 1 Credit
Introduction to the concept of justice. A review of Acts, Regulations, Rules and Order relating to animal movements, importation and trade cattle routes. Animal Disease Control Acts. Veterinary Public Health (Meat and Fish Hygiene) Acts and Laws. Importation and exportation of animals and animal by-products. Pharmacy Acts Legislations regulating the importation, marketing and uses of veterinary drugs and biological; importation of vaccines and professional responsibilities for the use of both drugs and vaccines. Rabies control Acts and control of all pets and companion animals, Food and Drugs Administration in Nigeria. The adequacy or otherwise of existing channels of statutory control, Laws on the control of fish and aquatic, International aspects and responsibilities in Veterinary Jurisprudence. Veterinary legislations: The role of the Veterinary Council of Nigeria, the Police, the law courts, the Federal Livestock Department and registered Veterinary Surgeons in the implementation of existing legislations. Current topics such as the Grazing Reserve Bill. Animal Welfare, CITES, Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), FAO, OIE and WHO. 30h (T); C
VPH 827 Diagnostic Methods in Veterinary Public Health 2 Credits
Review of specimen preparation, collection, packaging and storage. Principles and types of microscopical techniques and applications. Review of smear preparation, staining and microscopical examinations. Photomicrograph. Establishment and uses of animal serum banks. In-vitro antigen-antibody reactions: agglutination reactions, immunodiffusion tests, immunoelectrophoresis. Complex serological procedures: Complement Fixation Test (CFT), direct immunofluorescence, indirect immunofluorescence, haemagglutination inhibition test, Coomb‘s (antiglobulin) test, radio-immunoassay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Introduction to arthropod blood-meal identification, production and application of hyper-immune sera and monoclonal antibodies, Experimental immunisation procedures. Molecular biological techniques. 15h (T); 45h (P); C
VPH 831 Seminar I 1 Credit
Proposal seminar, candidates submit copies of each write-up before the seminar presentation. 45h (P); C
VPH 832 Seminar II 1 Credit
Research findings seminar, candidates submit copies of each write-up before the seminar presentation. 45h (P); C
VPH 899 Dissertation 6 Credits
Original and independent research project in any area of Disease Surveillance, Vaccine and vaccination, Veterinary Extension and Veterinary Economics, Zoonoses, Environmental health and food safety. The student will present a project for examination. 270h (P); C
Graduation Requirements:
Candidates will be required to carry out original research in Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, and to submit a dissertation on a topic chosen in consultation with their supervisors and approved by the Faculty and the Postgraduate School. To be awarded the Master of Science (Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine) degree, a candidate must pass 35 Credits made up of the following:
Core 29 Credits
Dissertation 6 Credits
Total 35 Credits
I. Summary
Core courses: VTC 813 (2), VPH 815 (2), VPH 817 (2), VPH 801 (2), VPH 802 (2),
VPH 803 (3), VPH 805 (1), VPH 811 (3), VPH 813 (1), VPH 821(1), VPH 822 (1), VPH
824 (1), VPH 827 (2), VPH 831 (1), VPH 832 (1), VPH 899 (6)Elective Courses: VPH 804 (1), VPH 818 (1), VTP 815 (2
© 2025 University of Ilorin