Br. vel . J. (1992) . 1 4 8 , -14á

THE PREVALENCE OF SALMONELLA INFECTIONS IN CAMELS (CAMEL US DROMEDARIUS) IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

U . WERNERY

Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, P.O. Box 597 Dubai, United ArabEmirales ((`. .LL. )

SUMMARY One hundred and eighty-seven salmonella strains were isolated from 4006 samples collected from camels in the United Arab Emirates between 1987 and 1991 . One hundred and sixty-five (4 .3%) strains were isolated front 3801 faecal and 22 from 205 organ samples of 62 autopsied camels . In total, 28 different serotypes were identified with S. saintpaul being the most frequent (69), followed by S. frintrop (31) and S . hindmarsh (15) . Salmonella typhimurium was isolated from only two faecal specimens . All salmonellas isolated from faecal samples originated from carrier camels, and those isolated from organs were secondary findings . The camels from which salmonella organisms were found died from diseases other than salmonellosis . Most of the S . saintpaul isolates originated from one herd suffering from Clostridium perfringens type A enterotoxaemia which suggests that salmonella infections may predispose camels to clostridial enterotoxaemias .

INTRODUCTION Salmonella infections occur universally in all animal species and in man and have been the subject of extensive studies worldwide . The occurrence of salmonella infections has increased greatly over the past 30 years (Blood et al., 1990) and many serotypes are capable of causing clinical salmonellosis in animals . Unusual salmonella strains are becoming more common possibly as a result of increased use of animal and fish byproducts, many of which are unsterilized (Blood et (Il. . 199o) . Various authors have reported outbreaks of salmonellosis or salmonella infections in camels in different parts of the world (see Table I) but this is believed to be the first report from the United Arab Emirates .

MATERIALS AND METHODS Between 1987 and 1991, faecal samples were collected from 3801 (breeding or racing) camels of different ages and sex . The specimens were taken from the rectum with plastic gloves and collected in sterile containers .



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Table I Previous reports of Salmonella serotypes isolated from camels (Camelus bactrianus included) Author

Year

Counhry

Serotypes

Kowalevskv

1912

Russia

Not serotyped

Enteric firm

Curasson

1918

Sudan

Not scrotypcd

Etrtericfin- m

Olitzki

1942

Palestine

S . kemtucky

llealthv

Olitzki & Ellenbogen

1943

Palestine

S . kentucky

Enteric tin-nn

Donatien & Boue

1944

French North Africa

Not serotyped

Abortion Enteric font Septicaemia

Sandiford

1944

Egypt

S. typhirnirrium

Enteric form

Brunei & Moran

1949

USA

S. derby S. typhimuriutn

Enteric term

Floyd

1955

Egypt

S. saintpaul S. paratyphi S. Cholerae-Suis

I lealthv

Zaki

1956

Egypt

s. typhitntuittm

Healthy

Farrag & El-Afify

1956

Egypt

S. enteritides

Healthy

Hamada et al.

1963

Egypt

S. glosbtap S. saintpaul

I lealthv

Malik et al.

1967

India

S. S. S. S. S. S.

I lealthv

Ramadan & Sadek

1971

Egypt

S. p (I ratyphi S. saintpaul S, typhimurium S, reading S. alublirt S. pact borne S. enteritidis .S. horris-rnorhtficmts

llealthv

Ambwani & Jaktar

1973

India

S. typhi

I lealthv

ancdtun (en o füntrap give limete muen(hen

Condition

Not serotyped (4x) Chevne et al.

1977

Somalia

S. cholerae-suis

Andreani et al .

1978

Somalia

S. bredeney

Pegram & Tareke

1981

Ethiopia

S. chesterS. gure S. easthorne S. saintpaul

Enteric frim 1 lealthv Septicaemia



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1 47

Two hundred and five organ samples (spleen, liver, intestine and mesenteric lymph nodes) were taken from 62 autopsied camels and prepared according to the method described by Habermalz (1973) . Approximately 10 g of each of the organ samples were collected with sterile instruments and cut into small pieces before being placed into salmonella enrichment broth . One to three g of faecal samples were added to 10 ml of tetrathionate broth (Merck No . 5285) and incubated at 37 ° C for 24 h . After enrichment, the samples were spread onto brilliantgreen phenol-red lactose sucrose agar (Merck No . 7237) and Pril mannitol agar (Merck No . 10727) and the plates incubated at 37°C for 24 h . All non-lactose fermenting Salmonella-like colonies were tested biochemically with the Enterotuhe 11 Roche (F. Hoffman La Roche, Switzerland) and serologically with polyvalent antiSalmonella sera (Behring) . The strains isolated and tentatively identified as Salmonella biochemically and serologically were sent for typing to the Salmonella tping centre of the Bundesgesundheitsamt, Berlin, Germany .

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION One hundred and eighty-seven salmonella isolates were recovered from 4006 camel specimens . One hundred and sixty-five (4.3%) salmonellas were isolated from 3801 faecal and 22 from 205 organ samples of 62 autopsied camels . This investigation demonstrated the expected presence of salmonellas in camels in the United Arab Emirates . One hundred and eighty-seven salmonella isolates representing 28 different serotypes (Table 11) were made from a total of 4006 camel specimens . As summarized in Table I, salmonellosis has been reported from Sudan (Curasson, 1918), Palestine (Olitzki & Ellenbogen, 1943), French North Africa (Donatien & Boue, 1944), the USA (Bruner and Moran, 1949) and more recently from Somalia (Cheyne ei al., 1977) and Ethiopia (Pegram & Tareke, 1981) . Salmonella may cause enteritis, septicaemia and abortion in camels ; chronic salmonellosis is characterized by persistent diarrhoea, emaciation and death after several weeks . In Ethiopia, salmonellosis has been reported to be the most important disease in sucking camel calves, with an overall fatality rate reaching 20%, in some areas (Pegram & Tareke, 1981) . Salmonella isolations have been made from faeces of clinically normal camels in India (Malik (,l a L, 1967 ; Ambwani & Jaktar, 1973) and in Egypt where Salmonella spp . were recovered from the viscera and lymph nodes of slaughter camels (Zaki, 1956 ; Hamada et al., 1963) . The Salmonella serotypes isolated from camels in different countries vary but are identical in healthy camels and in camels diagnosed with clinical salmonellosis . The response to infection with salmonella varies with age, the challenge close, previous exposure to infection, the immunological status of the animal and exposure to stress in older animals . It is generally accepted that clinical disease is precipitated by stressful situations such as transport, intercurrent disease, malnutrition, crowding, anaesthesia and surgery, parturition and administration of sctrnc drugs (Blood et al., 1990) . In the present survey, all 165 salmonella strains isolated from faecal samples



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originated from carrier animals, and even salmonella organisms recovered frorn organs were secondary findings . Camels in which salmonellas were found, died from other primary diseases such as clostridial enterotoxaemia, trypanosomiasis, cerebrocortical necrosis or grain engorgement . Most serotypes isolated were uncommon strains ; however, S. Lyphimuriumm was recovered from two faecal samples from healthy animals . During a C. perfringens, type A, outbreak in racing camels (Wernery et al., 19(9 1) S. saintpaul was found in about 25% of 55 faecal samples . S . saintpaul was also recovered from organs of necropsied camels which had died from the enterotoxaemia . Salmonella organisms can cause intestinal lesions with haemorrhages, oedema, necrosis and villous atrophy (Jones & Hunt, 1983), altering the mucous membrane of the intestinal tract and enabling clostridial organisms to proliferate and release toxins, which are absorbed through the damaged gut . Sinkovics (1972) reported similar findings in piglets with pathogenic E . coli infections . He found a marked mobilization and activation of C. perfringens in the small intestines

Table II Distribution of Salmonella serotypes isolated from 3801 camel faeces and 205 organs Ser. no. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 28

Serotypes

Number of isolates

S . saintpaul S. fintrop S . hindmarsh S, kottbus S. bonis-morbificans S . kentucky S. cerro S. mbandaka S . reading S. nchanga S. oranienburg S. meleagridis S. derf S. havana S. in/antis S. nruensIer S . senftenberg S . typhimurium S. anatum .S, nezuport S . chailtiv S. livingstone S . am terdam S. niuenchen S. agona .S. teushyrte S. johanneslntirg S . 11 42 :h :enxi 15

69 31 15 15 10 6 5 4 3 2 9

5

9 9 9 9 9 9 9

1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 187



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of piglets with E. coli enterotoxaemia and considered that the toxins of the E . coli strains altered the mucose of the gut which favoured clostridial growth . It is possible that salmonella infections could predispose camels to clostridial enterotoxaemias .

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors are indebted to the

Salmonella typing centre of the Bundesgesundheitsamt . These studies were carried out with the support of H . H . Sh . Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai, United Arab Emirates .

REFERENCES

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