Studies on Cephalopina titillator, the cause of 'Sengale' in camels (Camelus dromedarius) in semi-arid areas of Somali State, Ethiopia.

Abstract

The overall prevalence rate of Cephalopina titillator in 778 slaughtered camels was 71.7%, 55% in males and 85% in females. The mean larval counts in infested camels were 26.7 +/- 25.9 and 34.6 +/- 30.8, for males and females, respectively. There were highly significant differences (p < 0.001) in the number of larvae in camels of different ages and sexes and also between the wet and dry seasons. The average time to pupate was 4.9 +/- 4.6 minutes, and the pupation period was 21 +/- 2.4 days. The major gross lesions observed were congestion of the pharyngeal mucosa with profuse secretions, and haemorrhage in early cases. In some cases, there were ulcer-like lesions and nodules, which contained pus. The dominant microscopic lesions were infiltration of the lamina propria by eosinophils, lymphocytes and macrophages, hyperplasia of the stratified squamous epithelium, necrotic changes in the mixed glands and desquamation of epithelial cells. A survey using questionnaires revealed that all the camel owners called the disease caused by infestation with C. titillator 'Sengale' and that 87% of them considered that infestation with these larvae results in reduced milk production and body weight. The major clinical signs of the disease were sneezing and expulsion of larvae (68%), abnormal movement of the head (45%), grooming (44%), nasal discharge (40%), poor appetite (26.7%), difficulty in breathing (18%), and sometimes bleeding from the nostrils (18%) and coughing (27%).