AJABS is an internationally refereed journal published jointly by the Makerere University Press and the International Network on Animal and Biomedical Science and Technology for Africa (INABSTA), an initiative of the NEPAD Council Education Commission (NCEC), Makerere University (College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resource and Biosecurity - CoVAB) and Uganda Veterinary Association.

AJABS provides a forum for exchange of scholarly knowledge and information in the natural and social sciences related to Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Research in developing countries. AJABS assists scientists in developing countries, to publish and disseminate relevant research results rapidly, and in an easily accessible format, by making maximum use of electronic communication media. AJABS publishes both full-length papers and short communications describing the results of research that relate to the theme of Animal and Biomedical Research and Technology.

Focus & Scope

AJABS publishes both natural and social sciences related to Animal and Biomedical Research and Engineering. It covers:

1. Veterinary and Animal sciences
2. Wildlife and Aquaculture science
3. Molecular Biology
4. Biomedical science and Biomedical Technology
5. Clinical Medicine
6. Microbiology and Parasitology
7. Food and Nutrition
8. Environment toxicology & public health.

Contributions may be in the form of original research papers, review articles, short communications, case reports, or letters to the editors.

Only manuscripts of high scientific significance and innovation will be considered for publication.

Criteria for rejection without review:

• Out of scope.
• Parasite and vector control strategies at very early inconclusive laboratory stages of development. For vector control studies, field validation is required.
• Ethical issues, including plagiarism, submission of the manuscript to multiple journals, and lack of ethical approval where needed.
• Not following the instructions specified in the journal guide for authors
• Results presented do not significantly advance science including innovative new approaches
• Manuscripts do not meet quality standards of presentation and literature citation and do not demonstrate potential health or biomedical impact.

The editors carefully evaluate initial manuscript submissions and only those meeting the above criteria will be forwarded to review.

Article types

AJABS publishes the following types of papers:

1. Original research articles
2. Short Communications
3. Review articles
4. Case reports
5. Letters to the Editor

Original research articles should report highly significant innovative results not previously published elsewhere. Original articles are limited to 7,000 words per article (all text excluding tables and figure legends). Short Communications should consist of original results or new methods within the scope of the journal. Short Communications need not be formally structured as full papers, but should give sufficient methods and data necessary for their comprehension. Short Communications are limited to 3,000 words per article (all text excluding tables and figure legends).

Review articles should cover subjects falling within the scope of the journal which are of active current interest. They may be submitted or invited by the Editors in Chief. Review articles should include insightful recommendations for future directions needed for achieving public health impacts. Review articles are limited to 15,000 words per article (all text excluding tables and figure legends). Systematic reviews adhering to PRISMA guidelines and meta-analyses are welcome.

Case reports should include scientifically backed points of view regarding currently relevant, controversial or future-oriented topics pertinent to the scope of AJABS. The authors should outline which research directions should be prioritized and highlight specific points explaining why they should be prioritized in the forthcoming years to achieve public health impact. Opinion articles are limited to 4,000 words per article (all text excluding tables and figure legends).

Letters to the Editor offering comment or useful critique on material published in the journal are welcome. Constructive letters that will permit an exchange of views which will be of benefit to both the journal and its readers are encouraged. Letters to the Editor are limited to 2,000 words per article (all text excluding tables and figure legends).

Peer Review

This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors to determine suitability for publication in this journal. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected will be taken by our editors.

Our editors are not involved in making decisions about papers which:

• they have written themselves.
• have been written by family members or colleagues.
• relate to products or services in which they have an interest.

Any such submissions will be subject to the journal's usual procedures and peer review will be handled independently of the editor involved and their research group.

Special issues and article collections

The peer review process for special issues and article collections follows the same process as outlined above for regular submissions, except, a guest editor will send the submissions out to the reviewers and recommend a decision to the journal editor. The journal editor oversees the peer review process of all special issues and article collections to ensure the high standards of publishing ethics and responsiveness are respected and is responsible for the final decision regarding acceptance or rejection of articles.