
Aminu Shittu- DVM (Sokoto), PgCert-IAH (Edinburgh), MSc-CIDA (London)
- Lecturer & Researcher at Usmanu Danfodiyo University
Aminu Shittu
- DVM (Sokoto), PgCert-IAH (Edinburgh), MSc-CIDA (London)
- Lecturer & Researcher at Usmanu Danfodiyo University
I consider research collaborations in areas of quantitative epidemiology, farm animal health, and global health.
About
123
Publications
103,173
Reads
How we measure 'reads'
A 'read' is counted each time someone views a publication summary (such as the title, abstract, and list of authors), clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the full-text. Learn more
6,961
Citations
Introduction
Aminu Shittu currently works at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Nigeria. He is a passionate veterinarian with: a keen interest in teaching and undertaking research in the area of quantitative epidemiology; infection dynamics; diagnostic test comparisons; competency in computer and statistical programmes; and some experiences in doing multivariable, spatial, time-series and survival analyses. He attended the University of Edinburgh and the University of London between 2008 and 2009. His thesis involves analyses of a large national surveillance dataset for bovine tuberculosis in Great Britain. He is also interested in scientific communication.
Current institution
Additional affiliations
August 2006 - June 2015
Position
- Veterinary Epidemiology and Infection Control
Position
- Animal Breeding and Genetics
Education
August 2011 - August 2014
September 2008 - September 2009

Independent Researcher
Field of study
- Infectious Diseases
October 2007 - December 2008
College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh
Field of study
- International Animal Health
Publications
Publications (123)
In African countries, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) issue remains pertinent. Despite this, little efforts have been made to assess the future veterinary prescribers on their knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) related to antimicrobial usage. This multi-country survey attempts to explore the KAP of future veterinarians on stewardship of antimi...
Background Despite the well documented consequences of obesity during childhood and adolescence and future risks of excess body mass on non-communicable diseases in adulthood, coordinated global action on excess body mass in early life is still insufficient. Inconsistent measurement and reporting are a barrier to specific targets, resource allocati...
Background
Overweight and obesity is a global epidemic. Forecasting future trajectories of the epidemic is crucial for providing an evidence base for policy change. In this study, we examine the historical trends of the global, regional, and national prevalence of adult overweight and obesity from 1990 to 2021 and forecast the future trajectories t...
This presentation provides a structured guide on Presentation Skills tailored for final-year veterinary students. It covers essential aspects of effective communication, including content development, delivery techniques, audience engagement, the use of visual aids, handling questions, and overcoming common challenges such as stage fright and time...
Summary
Background
Epilepsy is one of the most common serious neurological disorders and affects individuals of all ages across the globe. The aim of this study is to provide estimates of the epilepsy burden on the global, regional, and national levels for 1990–2021.
Methods
Using well established Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Facto...
Background Decades of steady improvements in life expectancy in Europe slowed down from around 2011, well before the COVID-19 pandemic, for reasons which remain disputed. We aimed to assess how changes in risk factors and cause-specific death rates in different European countries related to changes in life expectancy in those countries before and d...
Background Upper respiratory infections (URIs) are the leading cause of acute disease incidence worldwide and contribute to a substantial health-care burden. Although acute otitis media is a common complication of URIs, the combined global burden of URIs and otitis media has not been studied comprehensively. We used results from the Global Burden o...
Subclinical mastitis (SCM) represents a pervasive challenge in dairy farming, particularly in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs), where its detection and management remain inadequate. The condition, often undetectable without diagnostic tools, compromises milk quality, reduces yields, and imposes significant economic and public health burdens....
Summary
Background Diarrhoeal diseases claim more than 1 million lives annually and are a leading cause of death in children
younger than 5 years. Comprehensive global estimates of the diarrhoeal disease burden for specific age groups of
children younger than 5 years are scarce, and the burden in children older than 5 years and in adults is also
un...
Background
The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 provides a comprehensive assessment of health and risk factor trends at global, regional, national, and subnational levels. This study aims to examine the burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors in the USA and highlight the disparities in health outcomes ac...
Summary
Background
The capacity to anticipate future health issues is important for both policy makers and practitioners in the USA, as such insights can facilitate effective planning, investment, and implementation strategies. Forecasting trends in disease and injury burden is not only crucial for policy makers but also garners substantial interes...
Mortality in goats limits production and productivity, particularly in smallholder and extensive grazing systems, where resources for health interventions and management practices are often limited. This study investigates risk factors for goat mortality using Cox proportional hazards regression modelling at the Papua New Guinea (PNG) University of...
Background
As set out in Sustainable Development Goal 3.3, the target date for ending the HIV epidemic as a public health threat is 2030. Therefore, there is a crucial need to evaluate current epidemiological trends and monitor global progress towards HIV incidence and mortality reduction goals. In this analysis, we assess the current burden of HIV...
Background
Over the past several decades, the overweight and obesity epidemic in the USA has resulted in a significant
health and economic burden. Understanding current trends and future trajectories at both national and state levels is
crucial for assessing the success of existing interventions and informing future health policy changes. We esti...
Methods appendix to: GBD 2021 US Obesity Forecasting Collaborators. National-level and state-level prevalence of overweight and obesity among children, adolescents, and adults in the USA, 1990–2021, and forecasts up to 2050. Lancet 2024; published online Nov 14. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01548-4.
This appendix formed part of the origin...
Supplementary appendix 2. Results appendix to: GBD 2021 US Obesity Forecasting Collaborators. National-level and state-level prevalence of overweight and obesity among children, adolescents, and adults in the USA, 1990–2021, and forecasts up to 2050. Lancet 2024; published online Nov 14. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01548-4
This appendix...
Background :
Smoking is the leading behavioural risk factor for mortality globally, accounting for more than 175 million deaths and nearly 4·30 billion years of life lost (YLLs) from 1990 to 2021. The pace of decline in smoking prevalence has slowed in recent years for many countries, and although strategies have recently been proposed to achieve t...
Up-to-date estimates of stroke burden and attributable risks and their trends at global, regional, and national levels are essential for evidence-based health care, prevention, and resource allocation planning. We aimed to provide such estimates for the period 1990–2021. We estimated incidence, prevalence, death, and disability-adjusted life-year (...
Background: Up-to-date estimates of stroke burden and attributable risks and their trends at global, regional, and national levels are essential for evidence-based health care, prevention, and resource allocation planning. We aimed to provide such estimates for the period 1990–2021.
Methods: We estimated incidence, prevalence, death, and disabilit...
Background
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses an important global health challenge in the 21st century. A previous study has quantified the global and regional burden of AMR for 2019, followed with additional publications that provided more detailed estimates for several WHO regions by country. To date, there have been no studies that produce com...
BACKGROUND: Uncorrected refractive error (URE) is a readily treatable cause of visual impairment (VI). This study provides updated estimates of global and regional vision loss due to URE, presenting temporal change for VISION 2020 METHODS: Data from population-based eye disease surveys from 1980-2018 were collected. Hierarchical models estimated pr...
Background
To estimate global and regional trends from 2000 to 2020 of the number of persons visually impaired by cataract and their proportion of the total number of vision-impaired individuals.
Methods
A systematic review and meta-analysis of published population studies and gray literature from 2000 to 2020 was carried out to estimate global a...
Non-typhoidal salmonellosis (NTS) is significant and an economic burden in Nigeria. To determine whether investment in NTS control is economically justifiable, Outbreak Costing Tool (OCT) was used to estimate the robust funding of public and animal health systems for epidemio-surveillance and control of multisectoral NTS outbreaks in Nigeria. Healt...
This presentation explores the critical role that modeling and simulation play in the field of epidemiology and public health, covering a range of topics from understanding how diseases spread to the development and implementation of policies to control and prevent outbreaks. It begins with an introduction to the basic concepts and methodologies in...
Objective
To provide an inclusive blend of extant meta-analyses on the burden of Staphylococcus (S.) aureus and its resistant strains across diverse study populations, settings, and temporal contexts.
Methods
The study has adopted PRISMA 2020-based guides and registered its protocol on Open Science Framework with an extensive literature search. St...
Background
We aimed to update estimates of global vision loss due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Methods
We did a systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based surveys of eye diseases from January, 1980, to October, 2018. We fitted hierarchical models to estimate the prevalence of moderate and severe vision impairment (MSVI;...
This presentation examines the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in goats and evaluates the effectiveness of fenbendazole treatment using mixed-effects Poisson modeling. Gastrointestinal parasites significantly impact livestock health and productivity. Fecal samples were analyzed to measure parasite eggs per gram (EPG) of feces. The mixed-ef...
BACKGROUND: Uncorrected refractive error (URE) is a readily treatable cause of visual impairment (VI). This study provides updated estimates of global and regional vision loss due to URE, presenting temporal change for VISION 2020 METHODS: Data from population-based eye disease surveys from 1980-2018 were collected. Hierarchical models estimated pr...
Objectives
To estimate global and regional trends from 2000 to 2020 of the number of persons visually impaired by diabetic retinopathy and their proportion of the total number of vision-impaired individuals.
Methods
Data from population-based studies on eye diseases between 1980 to 2018 were compiled. Meta-regression models were performed to estim...
Summary
Background Future trends in disease burden and drivers of health are of great interest to policy makers and the public
at large. This information can be used for policy and long-term health investment, planning, and prioritisation. We
have expanded and improved upon previous forecasts produced as part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injur...
Background Accurate assessments of current and future fertility-including overall trends and changing population age structures across countries and regions-are essential to help plan for the profound social, economic, environmental, and geopolitical challenges that these changes will bring. Estimates and projections of fertility are necessary to i...
This appendix provides detailed information on the methods for the paper “Global fertility in 204 countries and territories, 1950–2021 with forecasts to 2100: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021”
Background
Understanding the health consequences associated with exposure to risk factors is necessary to inform public health policy and practice. To systematically quantify the contributions of risk factor exposures to specific health outcomes, the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 aims to provide comprehensiv...
Summary
Background
Future trends in disease burden and drivers of health are of great interest to policy makers and the public at large. This information can be used for policy and long-term health investment, planning, and prioritisation. We have expanded and improved upon previous forecasts produced as part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injur...
Background Detailed, comprehensive, and timely reporting on population health by underlying causes of disability and premature death is crucial to understanding and responding to complex patterns of disease and injury burden over time and across age groups, sexes, and locations. The availability of disease burden estimates can promote evidence-base...
Summary
Background Lower respiratory infections (LRIs) are a major global contributor to morbidity and mortality. In 2020–21,
non-pharmaceutical interventions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic reduced not only the transmission of
SARS-CoV-2, but also the transmission of other LRI pathogens. Tracking LRI incidence and mortality, as well as the
p...
Background
Regular, detailed reporting on population health by underlying cause of death is fundamental for public health decision making. Cause-specific estimates of mortality and the subsequent effects on life expectancy worldwide are valuable metrics to gauge progress in reducing mortality rates. These estimates are particularly important follow...
OBJECTIVES: To estimate global and regional trends from 2000 to 2020 of the number of persons visually impaired by glaucoma and their proportion of the total number of vision-impaired individuals. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of published population studies and grey literature from 2000 to 2020 was carried out to estimate global a...
Background
Global evaluations of the progress towards the WHO End TB Strategy 2020 interim milestones on mortality (35% reduction) and incidence (20% reduction) have not been age specific. We aimed to assess global, regional, and national-level burdens of and trends in tuberculosis and its risk factors across five separate age groups, from 1990 to...
Background Accurate assessments of current and future fertility-including overall trends and changing population age structures across countries and regions-are essential to help plan for the profound social, economic, environmental, and geopolitical challenges that these changes will bring. Estimates and projections of fertility are necessary to i...
Mortality in goats limits production and productivity. In this study, we investigated associated risks factors for goat mortality using analytical statistics. We evaluated risk factors of goat mortality from 2020 to 2023 at the PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment (UNRE) breeding farm. The study utilized non-parametric survival analy...
Background: Global evaluations of the progress towards the WHO End TB Strategy 2020 interim milestones on mortality (35% reduction) and incidence (20% reduction) have not been age specific. We aimed to assess global, regional, and national-level burdens of and trends in tuberculosis and its risk factors across five separate age groups, from 1990 to...
Background Global evaluations of the progress towards the WHO End TB Strategy 2020 interim milestones on mortality (35% reduction) and incidence (20% reduction) have not been age specific. We aimed to assess global, regional, and national-level burdens of and trends in tuberculosis and its risk factors across five separate age groups, from 1990 to...
Background Disorders affecting the nervous system are diverse and include neurodevelopmental disorders, late-life neurodegeneration, and newly emergent conditions, such as cognitive impairment following COVID-19. Previous publications from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factor Study estimated the burden of 15 neurological conditio...
Background: To estimate global and regional trends from 2000 to 2020 of the number of persons visually impaired by cataract and their proportion of the total number of vision-impaired individuals.
Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of published population studies and gray literature from 2000 to 2020 was carried out to estimate global...
Background
Estimates of demographic metrics are crucial to assess levels and trends of population health outcomes. The profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations worldwide has underscored the need for timely estimates to understand this unprecedented event within the context of long-term population health trends. The Global Burden of D...
A webinar presentation to the AWGN (Animal Welfare Group Nigeria)
Background
Non-typhoidal Salmonella infection (NTS) is an important foodborne zoonosis with underappreciated health and economic burdens, and low case fatality. It has global prevalence, with more burdens in under-resourced countries with poor health infrastructures. Using a cohort study, we determined the cost-effectiveness of NTS in humans in Nig...
Background A critical and persistent challenge to global health and modern health care is the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Previous studies have reported a disproportionate burden of AMR in low-income and middle-income countries, but there remains an urgent need for more in-depth analyses across Africa. This study presents one of the m...
Livestock, particularly, small ruminant production is crucial in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and focused progressive research is needed to their husbandry, nutrition, breeding and health management practices. We evaluated the effect of farm management and host variables on the prevalence of internal parasites in goats and assess the efficacy of fenbenda...
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38092509/#full-view-affiliation-41
The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) is a multinational collaborative research study with >10,000 collaborators around the world. GBD generates a time series of summary measures of health, including prevalence, cause-specific mortality (CSMR), years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and disabi...
Background
To estimate global and regional trends from 2000-2020 of the number of persons visually impaired by cataract and their proportion of the total number of vision-impaired individuals.
Methods
A systematic review and meta-analysis of published population studies and grey literature from 2000-2020 was carried out to estimate global and regio...
Background: Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, and affects people regardless of country, age group, or sex. Using the most recent evidentiary and analytical framework from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD), we produced location-specific, age-specific, and sex-specific estimat...
Data Handling and Statistical Modeling in Epidemiological Research
Ectoparasites of dogs represent an important group of parasites. They often suck blood, cause pruritis, and could serve as vectors of many pathogens of veterinary and public health importance. In northeastern Nigeria, there is a lack of data regarding ectoparasites of dogs. Therefore, this study was undertaken to explore the external parasites of d...
A call for research collaborations on antimicrobial resistance
Understanding the epidemiology of canine parasitic infections, gastrointestinal helminthic infections in particular, is crucial for designing an efficient control programs targeted at minimizing the risks of zoonotic transmission. A total of 470 dogs attending veterinary clinics in Northeastern Nigeria were screened for gastrointestinal helminths u...
Mastitis is an important problem in meat-producing sheep, but few studies have investigated the transmission dynamics of mastitis pathogens in these animals. The objective of this study was to describe the pathogens causing intramammary infections (IMI) in suckler ewes, their effect on somatic cell count, and the dynamics of these IMI in early lact...
Outbreaks of avian influenza H5N1 in poultry occurred in Africa’s poultry and 16 countries have reported human infections globally. Intensified human-animal interactions necessitate correct communication of health messages to reduce zoonotic infection. This work was done to determine differences between pictorial and literal health education commun...
Understanding the knowledge and perceptions of veterinary students of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as potential future prescribers of antimicrobials may serve as an opportunity to improve stewardship of AMR. Pre-final (n = 42) and final (n = 29) year veterinary students of the University of Pretoria completed questionnaires to determine their kno...
In comparison with other livestock, tuberculosis (TB) in camels has not been extensively studied in Nigeria. Camels in the hands of Nigerian pastoralists share the livestock ecosystem and are increasingly becoming an important component of the sector. This study was designed to investigate the occurrence of TB lesions and animal-level risk of infec...
Introduction:
Since the first case of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in Guinea in 2013, major outbreaks have been reported in West Africa.
Methodology:
Cases and fatalities of EVD caused by Zaire Ebola virus (ZEBOV) were evaluated, and the risks of dying in the general population and in healthcare workers were assessed.
Results:
The case fatality r...