SEARCH · PubMed Health
Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
Samples of heart, esophagus and diaphragm of 200 camels (Camelus dromedarius) from Southern Somalia were examined for Sarcocystis by trypsin digestion and histological examination. The results showed a very high prevalence rate (82.5%). Histological findings suggested the presence of two different species in the camel.
Over the last thirty years, several surveys referring to the gastrointestinal parasites in the dromedary have shown high infestation rates by Haemonchus longistipes. Certain other studies have pointed out the economic and clinical importance of the camel haemonchosis. The author presents an overview of established knowledge on this major disease for the dromedary, which has hitherto been underestimated. The known features belonging either to this species or inferred from sheep haemonchosis, as a much better studied illness, are then presented. They refer to the parasite and to its cycle, to epidemiology, pathogeny, symptoms, lesions, diagnosis and treatment not forgetting feasible prophylactic measures as a conclusion. The author insists upon the season characteristic of the disease, the factors favouring infestations, and the more or less severe anaemia/cachexy syndrome, according to the observed forms of the affection. Differential diagnosis is often difficult to ascertain and several effective drugs available for treatment are reviewed. Finally, the control of this illness needs to take into account the specific features of the dromedary rearing together with a necessary involvement of the camel owners.
Forty-four camels slaughtered at Nyala abattoir, western Sudan, were examined for infection with the larvae of Cephalopina titillator. The infection rate was found to be 100 p. 100. The parasitic burden ranged between 8-243 per animal. They were recovered throughout the year. The first stage larvae were noticed from December to May, indicating the breeding season of the fly. The larvae were found to cause visible pathological lesions on the nasopharynx. These were also demonstrated histopathologically. Bacteriological examinations revealed the presence of Pasteurella haemolytica and Klebsiella ozaenae as possible causes of pneumonia, and Corynebacterium species which could possibly cause pyogenic infections locally. Organisms from the camel environment like Bacillus and Proteus species were also isolated.
Massive myiasis caused by Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Schiner, 1862) in camels in the Southern Mountainous zone of the Peninsula of Sinai is described. Wohlfahrtiosis seemed intimately related to the climatic and ecological conditions of the area, particularly altitude, precipitation, pasture, rodents and ticks. The clinical features resembled those described in sheep in Israel and in camels elsewhere. Treatment with diazinon and synergized pyrethrum in pine oil proved effective.
The efficiency of indirect haemagglutination (IHA) and immunoelectrophoresis (IEP) as means of detection of cystic hydatid infection in camels was investigated. Both IHA and IEP showed very low detection rates of antibody in camel sera. The IEP showed 84 p. 100 specificity and 36 p. 100 sensitivity while the IHA showed 69 p. 100 specificity and 43 p. 100 sensitivity. These results are discussed.
The fine structure of the camel monocytes was studied in order to record its constituents because these informations were missed from the literature. The observations revealed the presence of a few short cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum and various forms of vesicles associated with the Golgi complex which were seen near the mitochondria. The distribution of the cytoplasmic organelles seemed to be located adjacent to the main indentation in the nuclei. Camel monocytes were found to possess microvilli of varying length and number. The functional morphology of the above mentioned structures was discussed.
The adrenal gland of the camel consists of an outer cortex and an inner medulla. The general disposition of the cortex and medulla, however, differs occasionally from that of other mammals. Extensions of medulla could reach as far as the periphery of the cortex. Islet of medullary tissue may be found in sections of the cortex and cortical tissue consisting of all zones of the cortex may occur around arteries or nerves in the medulla. The medulla may be separated from the cortex by connective tissue especially in old camels. The arrangement of noradrenaline-secreting cells is different from that in other ruminants; they are found in groups scattered between the adrenaline-secreting cells. Bundles of smooth muscle occur in venules at the corticomedullary interface. Accessory adrenal glands are found embedded in the renal fat. They are similar in structure to the adrenal gland. The adrenal cortex forms 74% of the volume of the gland and the ratio of the cortex to medulla is 4:1. The zona glomerulosa, fasciculata and reticularis constitute about 13%, 53%, and 29% by volume of the cortex, respectively.
The sebaceous gland of the camel has been studied by light and electron microscopy. The gland is lobed but the lobes are not subdivided into lobules. The ultrastructure of the sebaceous gland of the camel is generally similar to that of other animals. It consists of cells at different stages of development and maturation. The cells which are programmed to produce lipid secretion are probably those which lose contact with the basal lamina. Various forms of smooth endoplasmic reticulum are seen in the sebaceous cells. These forms include grid lattice, membranous whorls, and parallel cisterns; all of them are associated with lipid droplets which suggest that the smooth endoplasmic reticulum may be involved in lipid synthesis. The connective tissue around the sebaceous gland contains myelinated and unmyelinated axons. Some of these axons possibly penetrate the basal lamina to innervate the cells at the periphery. Encapsulated endings, which closely resemble Ruffini endings, are occasionally observed in the vicinity of the gland.
The concentration of microsomal cytochromes P-450, and of protein in the homogenate, cytosol and microsomes were measured in the liver, kidney and duodenal mucosa of healthy well-fed male and female camels, sheep and goats. For comparison, data from the liver of male and female rats were also obtained. The protein concentrations in the tissues of adult animals were broadly similar in the four species. The concentration of cytochromes P-450 was highest in the liver, followed by the kidney, then the duodenal mucosa in all the species. No cytochromes P-450 were detected in the tissues of immature (less than 1 mo) male goats, whereas the female goat had the highest concentrations of these enzymes in the liver and kidney when compared with the respective tissues in the other species studied. Males had higher activity of cytochromes P-450 than females in the three tissues, except in the duodenal mucosa of sheep, where males had lower activity than females. In camel liver and sheep kidney, the amount of cytochromes P-450 were similar in the two sexes. The present results suggest that the mature female goat is the species best equipped to handle xenobiotics which are detoxified by the cytochromes P-450 and other drug metabolizing enzymes in diseased or malnourished animals is suggested as these two conditions are known to modify drug metabolizing enzymes.
Morphometric analysis of the kidney of the camel was carried out on gross slices and histological sections using standard morphometric methods. The renal cortex occupied about 50% by volume of the kidney, and the ratio of the thickness of the medulla to that of the cortex was about 4:1. The relative thickness of the medulla was about 7.89. This parameter is an indicator of the lengths of the loops of Henle and vasa recta, and, according to the countercurrent theory, is consequently an indicator of the ability of the kidney to concentrate urine. In each kidney the volume and surface area of the cortical tubules and the number of glomeruli were determined and compared with these parameters in some other mammals. In addition the architectures of the renal pelvis and medulla and their significance in relation to the excretion of hypertonic urine were discussed. It was concluded that the kidney of the camel possesses the anatomical requisites for the production of hypertonic urine.
The greater omentum of the camel has been studied for the first time. Although the camel belongs to the suborder Artiodactyla, the greater omentum exhibits a striking similarity to that of Perissodactyla.
Histological and a few histochemical studies were done on the testes of 34 camels between 4 and 20 years of age, during three seasons: the tunica albuginea of the testes was composed of collagenous and a few elastic fibers. Isolated bundles of the smooth muscle fibers were observed in the capsule. The mediastinum testis and its radiating septula into the parenchyma also consisted of mainly collagenous and a few elastic fibers. The interstitial tissue was composed of Leydig cells and a network of reticular fibers. These cells increased in volume in the rutting period from December to March, and were distorted and reduced in volume in the nonrutting period from April to November. The seminiferous tubules were 113--250 micrometer in diameter, and were lined by many layers of spermatogenic cells and a single layer of Sertoli cells. The spermatogenesis was observed as a continuous process throughout the year, particularly in the camels between 4 and 15 years of age. Almost in all the testes studied, three types of spermatogonia, two to three layers of primary spermatocytes, rarely secondary spermatocytes and spermatids in two stages were observed. The spermatozoa were present attached to the Sertoli cells as well as free in the lumen of the tubules. The oval head of the spermatozoa was characterized by the presence of an elongated pointed, strongly PAS-positive acrosome.
Forty-nine Trypanozoon stocks isolated from camels in five different areas of Kenya were screened for isoenzyme patterns of 11 enzymes using thin-layer starch gel electrophoresis. The results were compared with those obtained in other studies with Trypanosoma (Trypanozoon) evansi stocks from South America, Nigeria, Sudan and Kuwait. Most of the Kenyan camel stocks were found to be either identical or closely similar to T (T) evansi stocks from elsewhere and were therefore designated T (T) evansi also; these Kenyan stocks grew well in rats and were monomorphic. However, four other Kenyan stocks were electrophoretically distinct, and one of them showed marked pleomorphism in rat blood; this latter stock was shown to be tsetse transmissible and was therefore designated T (T) brucei.
The testicular seminal pathway in the camel is divided into two portions: an intratesticular and an extratesticular portion. The intratesticular seminal pathway consists of three portions: a 'tapering terminal segment' of the seminiferous tubules opening into the receptacle, the tubuli recti with three parts and the rete testis. The extratesticular portion consists of the rete testis, as an extension of the intratesticular portion and an elongated sac from which 6-7 ductuli efferentes originated. The tapering terminal segments are lined by modified Sertoli cells. Both, the tubuli recti and rete testis, are lined by simple cuboidal to columnar cells. The epithelium of the ductuli efferentes which, at its origin from the sac is simply cuboidal, gradually changes to an epithelium that consists of alternating groups of high-columnar ciliated and low-columnar non-ciliated cells. The strongly PAS-positive basement membrane of the ductuli efferentes is surrounded by a thin circular layer of smooth muscle fibres. The pseudo-stratified columnar epithelium of the epididymis is supported by an intensely PAS-reactive basement membrane. Morphological changes in the epithelium of the head and body regions of the epididymis due to seasonal variations are well marked in the camels of all age groups.
The serum levels of sorbitol dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase in healthy male dromedary camels were determined. The camels were then infected with Trypanosoma evansi and the same enzymes determined at intervals, both during the period of infection and after treatment with the trypanocidal drugs suramin and quinapyramine sulphate. Increases in the serum levels of sorbitol dehydrogenase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase were recorded, together with a decrease in the serum level of alkaline phosphatase during the period of patent parasitaemia. The levels of the enzymes returned to normal after drug treatment.
A rare case of multiple fractures following camel bite of the face in a young male, producing facial deformity and open bite is described. Fractures were confirmed by X-rays and CT scan. Treatment consisted of an open reduction and interosseous wiring of fractures to attain normal occlusion which was maintained by intermaxillary and suspension wire fixation followed by soft tissue repair. This corrected the open bite, collapse of maxillary arches and facial deformity. The behaviour of camels during rutting is briefly discussed.
The efficacy of Cymelarsan, administered by intramuscular (i/m) injection in the treatment of chronic cases of camel trypanosomosis due to Trypanosoma evansi, was tested under controlled laboratory conditions. It was confirmed that Cymelarsan is a safe drug for use in dromedary camels when administered i/m at dose rates of 0.25 or 0.50 mg/kg body weight. During the 90 days post-treatment no relapses occurred at either dose rate. Hence, the drug was found to be fully effective against the chronic form of the natural disease. A dose of 0.25 mg/kg body weight of Cymelarsan given i/m is recommended.
The effect of prolonged (10 days) dehydration on acid-base parameters of camel blood was examined. The pH and PCO2 levels rose significantly in the course of dehydration. This state was comparable with compensated non-respiratory alkalosis found in other animals. The plasma sodium, and magnesium levels rose significantly also. The plasma oxygen and calcium levels declined significantly. There were no significant changes in potassium and phosphate levels. It is concluded that the changes found in acid-base status following dehydration are further evidence of water preservation mechanisms in the dehydrated camel.