Abstract:
A cross sectional study was conducted on 420 apparently healthy camels slaughtered at Akaki abattoir
from October 2011 to March 2012 to determine the apparent prevalence of camel tuberculosis and to
see its association with sex, age, origin and body condition of camels. Camels were examined for the
presence of gross tuberculosis lesions and further cultured to isolate members of the genus
Mycobacterium. The overall apparent prevalence of camel tuberculosis was 4.52% (95% confidence
interval: 2.53, 6.51) based on gross tuberculosis lesion detection; 4 of them were culture positive for
Mycobacterium bovis. The apparent prevalence of camel tuberculosis was not influenced by sex, age,
origin and body condition (p>0.05). In relation to distribution of the tuberculosis lesions in body organs,
57.14% of the tuberculosis lesions were localized in the lungs and associated lymph nodes, 28.57% in
the retropharyngeal lymph nodes and 14.29% in the mesenteric lymph nodes. In conclusion, this study
revealed that the occurrence of tuberculosis in camels at Akaki abattoir is a common phenomenon,
hence at present a public health threat. As a result, public awareness and appropriate control and
prevention measures should be implemented to reduce the public health and economic burden of the
disease in the country.
Description:
he dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius), which is a
versatile animal capable of living in harsh semi-arid and
arid areas of the world, is an extremely important animal
in the livelihoods of pastoral communities through
provision of milk, meat and draft power for transportation
of goods. In pastoral communities of Ethiopia such as
Afar, Somali and Borena, camels are kept almost entirely
for milk production (Getahun and Belay, 2002).
In recent years, camels have become one of the
national export animals for Ethiopians. Despite its role in
the livelihoods of pastoral communities and national
economy, little attention has so far been given to camel
production in general and health care in particular
