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Abstract

New epidemics of respiratory disease have caused 29.6 morbidity and 6.4% mortality in camels in the Somalia region of Ethiopia. The major clinical signs observed were fever of 40-41.5 degrees C, depression, cough, loss of appetite and a watery nasal discharge that became mucopurulent at a later stage. Finally, the camel became recumbent and extended its neck straight along the ground. Some of the animals died within 8-9 days. The major post-mortem lesions were hydrothorax, adhesion of the lung to the thorax, red and grey hepatization, emphysema, hydropericardium and fibrinous pericarditis. A treatment trial indicated that oxytetracycline was more effective than a combination of penicillin and streptomycin, the results showing a significant difference (p < 0.05) between the treated and control groups. The bacteria isolated from lung, thoracic fluid and whole blood were Pasteurella haemolytica. Further studies on the epidemiology of this disease, the identification of the serotypes involved, and the demonstration of any primary viral initiating agent are recommended to allow the development of preventive methods.

Molecular study on Pasteurella multocida and Mannheimia granulomatis from Kenyan Camels (Camelus dromedarius)

“…Comparison of our results with a previous communication on involvement of P. ( M. ) haemolytica in respiratory disease in Ethiopian camels [ 10 ] is also limited, because the methodology used there would not have permitted a differentiation between M. granulomatis, M. ( Pasteurella ) haemolytica and other Mannheima spp. The possibility that this respiratory pathogen isolated from Ethiopian camels [ 10 ] may in fact have been M. granulomatis or a new Mannheimia species very closely related to M. granulomatis cannot entirely be ruled out .…”

“…A respiratory disease in Ethiopian camels caused by Pasteurella (Mannheimia) haemolytica has been described by Bekele [ 10 ]. This pilot study is the first of its’ kind to use state of the art molecular methods for investigating Pasteurellaceae in camels.…”

Using local knowledge in emerging infectious disease research

“…Furthermore, either hereb or dhuguta might be one of the many other locally-known camel respiratory diseases that have been described across Africa, e.g. mhaz in Volpato et al (2015), sonbobe in Bekele (1999), and ah and laxawgal in Catley and Mohammed (1996). Given the limited scientific knowledge about camel respiratory diseases and the abundance of local knowledge about them, it seems that the local knowledge of pastoralists should certainly be given explicit study in the future.…”

‘Everybody knows’, but the rest of the world: the case of a caterpillar-borne reproductive loss syndrome in dromedary camels observed by Sahrawi pastoralists of Western Sahara

“…There is a lack of information on camel diseases (e.g. on aetiological factors, epidemiological patterns, symptoms, prevention and treatments) [9], particularly concerning nomadic management systems. New and little known diseases have been reported in recent years [9,10], and this has been achieved on the basis of the knowledge and observations of local communities.…”

“…on aetiological factors, epidemiological patterns, symptoms, prevention and treatments) [9], particularly concerning nomadic management systems. New and little known diseases have been reported in recent years [9,10], and this has been achieved on the basis of the knowledge and observations of local communities. The exact causes of several camel diseases still remain unknown, and pastoralists’ lore ‘ offers intriguing clues to modern veterinarians who are trying to establish and characterise the aetiology of the diseases and ultimately find effective treatments ’ [10].…”