A survey of camel (Camelus dromedarius) diseases in Jordan

Information on incidences of camel (Camelus dromedarius) diseases in Jordan is scarce. In this survey, 369 live and 156 slaughtered camels were examined in four Jordanian geographic regions and the proportion of diseased camels was calculated. Intestinal parasite ova were detected in 98% of camels; one or more species of external parasites were found on the skin of all camels; 33% had nasal myiasis; and hydatid cysts were identified in 44% of the slaughtered animals. Sarcoptic mange (Sarcoptes scabiei var. cameli) and trypanasomiasis, two diseases of economic importance, were also diagnosed in 83% and 33% of the 32 and 257 examined camels, respectively. Rabies virus was detected in eight camels by use of fluorescent antibody examination of brain tissues. Foreign-body accumulation within the first and second stomach compartments was the predominant gastrointestinal disease of slaughtered adult camels (22%). Ten percent of slaughtered camels had bacterial pneumonia, with Pasteurella hemolytica most often isolated (56% of pneumonic lungs). Further investigation into the relationship between parasite burden and health in camels is required to assess the significance of the high prevalence of parasites.