Abstract
Objective A crosssectional study was conducted between September 2015 and August 2016 in the district of Afar Regional State, Northeastern Ethiopia, to characterize the most prevalent bacterial pathogens and identify the associated risk factors of camel subclinical mastitis. California mastitis test (CMT) was used as a screening test, and standard bacteriological methods were carried out for isolation and identification of the pathogens. Results Among the total 96 lactating camels examined, 25 were found positive with the overall prevalence of 26%, with 25% and 1% subclinical and clinical mastitis cases, respectively. Totally, 384 quarters of udder were examined; of these, 10 of them were blind while the rest 374 were nonblind teats. The quarter level prevalence of subclinical mastitis was 8.9%. The analysis showed that statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) of tick infestation and subclinical mastitis. Additionally, among the bacteriologically tested 34 CMT positive milk samples, all of them showed growth on nutrient and blood agar plate. Out of these culture isolates, the major bacterial pathogens identified were Staphylococcus aureus (8.7%), Staphylococcus hyicus (6.52%), Staphylococcus intermedius (6.52), Coagulase-negative staphylococci (19.57%), Bacillus (19.57%), Escherichia coli (6.52%), and Pasteurella multocida (6.52%) species. Therefore, appropriate control measures and awareness creation to the community should be practiced.
Highlights
The dromedary camel (Camelus dromedaries) is a multipurpose animal kept for milk, meat production, and transportation
The result of the present study indicated that subclinical mastitis is widespread with an overall prevalence rate of 25% at she-camel and 8.85% at quarter level
Another possible reason could be in the study area, some of the factors which can predispose camel udders to bacterial infections, i.e., the practice of camel herders cauterizing the udder so as to treat mastitis and putting sticks into the nostrils of calves to prevent suckling reported by Mengistu et al [7] is not practiced
Summary
The dromedary camel (Camelus dromedaries) is a multipurpose animal kept for milk, meat production, and transportation. It is a financial reserve for pastoralists and plays an important role in social prestige and wealth [1]. Promotion programs, regular vaccination, and animal health service deliveries are almost always excluding camels. Mastitis is a complex disease occurring worldwide among dairy animals with heavy economic losses [3, 4]. It has multiple hazardous effects on human health. As for other dairy animals, dromedary camel could be affected by mastitis, and subclinical mastitis is more prevalent than clinical mastitis [5]
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