https://citarea.cita-aragon.es/citarea/bitstream/10532/3271/1/2015_296.pdf

Brucellosis in Sub-Saharan Africa: Current challenges for management, diagnosis and control.

Dromedary, or one-humped, camels Camelus dromedarius are an almost exclusively domesticated species that are common in arid areas as both beasts of burden and production animals for meat and milk. Currently, there are approximately 30 million dromedary camels, with highest numbers in Africa and the Middle East. The hardiness of camels in arid regions has made humans more dependent on them, especially as a stable protein source. Camels also carry and may transmit disease-causing agents to humans and other animals. The ability for camels to act as a point source or vector for disease is a concern due to increasing human demands for meat, lack of biosafety and biosecurity protocols in many regions, and a growth in the interface with wildlife as camel herds become sympatric with non-domestic species. We conducted a literature review of camel-borne zoonotic diseases and found that the majority of publications (65%) focused on Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), brucellosis, Echinococcus granulosus, and Rift Valley fever. The high fatality from MERS outbreaks during 2012–2016 elicited an immediate response from the research community as demonstrated by a surge of MERS-related publications. However, we contend that other camel-borne diseases such as Yersinia pestis, Coxiella burnetii, and Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever are just as important to include in surveillance efforts. Camel populations, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, are increasing exponentially in response to prolonged droughts, and thus, the risk of zoonoses increases as well. In this review, we provide an overview of the major zoonotic diseases present in dromedary camels, their risk to humans, and recommendations to minimize spillover events.

/pdf/a-review-of-zoonotic-pathogens-of-dromedary-camels-lxgmj1kjwy.pdf

A Review of Zoonotic Pathogens of Dromedary Camels.

Safety and wholesomeness of milk intended for human consumption are influenced by various interlinked factors. However, information on what these factors are, especially in the pastoral traditional communities of Ethiopia, is largely lacking. The objective of this study is to assess the hygienic milk production, processing and consumption practices, and behaviors of Borana pastoralists. The study used qualitative participatory research methods. Individual semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, informal discussions, and observations were carried out on (1) milk handling practices, (2) perceptions of quality and safety of milk, including perceived criteria for good milk, (3) awareness of milk-borne diseases, and (4) perception towards milk boiling practices. The interviews and discussions were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed by identifying themes. Some risky behaviors related to milk handling and consumption were identified. These include unhygienic conditions in handling milk and milk products, consumption behaviors such as consuming raw milk purchased from markets, and children directly consuming milk from the udder of animals (e.g., goats). There was a very strong reluctance to boil milk before consumption mainly because of the misconception that nutrients in the milk are destroyed when milk is boiled and “boiled milk is dead”. On the other hand, potential risk mitigation practices were identified such as smoking of milk containers (which may help reduce microbial growth), processing milk through fermentation, consuming milk in boiled tea, and a recent trend towards boiling milk for babies. However, the latter was not motivated by concern over microbial hazards but the belief that raw milk could form curds in children’s stomach which might then suffocate them. The findings highlight the need to promote hygienic handling practices of milk and closely engage with local communities to improve their understanding of milk safety to facilitate change in practices. Educating pastoralists on good milk production practices should be given priority. One of the ways to do this could be by strengthening the integration of milk hygiene in research and development programs as an entry point for behavioral change towards the safe handling and consumption of milk and milk products.

/pdf/milk-handling-practices-and-consumption-behavior-among-2azv75t1ug.pdf

Milk handling practices and consumption behavior among Borana pastoralists in southern Ethiopia

Among the mammals domesticated by humans for their needs, the camel has a peculiar status: highly adapted to a specific ecosystem (the desert) and it is a multipurpose animal used for production (milk, meat, wool, skin, manure), leisure (racing, sport such as polo, tourism, beauty contests, festivals), transport (riding, carting, pack carrying), or agricultural work (plowing, weeding, harrowing, noria, water extraction). No other domestic animal is able to provide such a variety of uses for human populations. In spite of these numerous services to humans, the image of the camel is that of an animal from the past, evoking mythic caravans through the more arid lands of the world and extensive networks managed by nomads from Mauritania to the Middle East, from Mongolia to India. However, the camel population is not declining at the world level, even if its status is variable from one country to another, from its alarming decline in India to its astonishing growth in the Horn of Africa and Sahelian countries. This is in spite of its marginal number (27 million in 2014 according to FAO) compared with other domestic farm animals and the regular decline in the proportion of the human population living in the desert. Whereas the nomad population has decreased from 10 to 1.5 % during the last five decades, the camel population in 2014 has more than doubled since 1961 (first available world annual data), corresponding to an annual growth of more than 2.0 %. By comparing this annual growth with other species at the world level, the camel population has grown faster than the cattle, sheep, horse, and lama populations and has a similar growth rate to that of the buffalo population, with only a growth rate lower than that of the goat population (Faye and Bonnet 2012). In 1961, the proportion of camels in the Domestic Herbivorous Biomass (DHB) was 1.1 %. In 2014, it was 1.5 %. This growth has occurred concomitantly with a change in livestock systems. Nowadays, camels are not only the animals of Bedouins. They are now a part of modern life in the desert (Breulmann et al. 2007), and they contribute significantly to desert productivity, thanks to their production potential (mainly milk and meat) and the high added value of their products (Tefera and Gebreah 2001; Kurtu 2004; Musaad et al. 2013). Traditionally based on an extensive system characterized by the use of natural resources, low inputs, and herd mobility, three main driving forces are contributing to the current changes:

/pdf/the-camel-new-challenges-for-a-sustainable-development-cf13zma2c1.pdf

The camel, new challenges for a sustainable development

The status of bovine brucellosis in Ethiopia with special emphasis on exotic and cross bred cattle in dairy and breeding farms

A highly acute and contagious camel disease, an epidemic wave of unknown etiology, referred to here as camel sudden death syndrome, has plagued camel population in countries in the Horn of Africa. To better understand its epidemic patterns and transmission dynamics, we used epidemiologic parameters and differential equation deterministic modeling (SEIR/D-model) to predict the outcome likelihood following an exposure of susceptible camel population. Our results showed 45.7, 17.6, and 38.6 % overall morbidity, mortality, and case fatality rates of the epidemic, respectively. Pregnant camels had the highest mortality and case fatality rates, followed by breeding males, and lactating females, implying serious socioeconomic consequences. Disease dynamics appeared to be linked to livestock trade route and animal movements. The epidemic exhibited a strong basic reproductive number (R (0)) with an average of 16 camels infected by one infectious case during the entire infectious period. The epidemic curve suggested that the critical moment of the disease development is approximately between 30 and 40 days, where both infected/exposed and infectious camels are at their highest numbers. The lag between infected/infectious curves indicates a time-shift of approximately 3-5 days from when a camel is infected and until it becomes infectious. According to this predictive model, of all animals exposed to the infection, 66.8 % (n = 868) and 33.2 % (n = 431) had recovered and died, respectively, at the end of epidemic period. Hence, if early measures are not taken, such an epidemic could cause a much more devastative effect, within short period of time than the anticipated proportion.

Epidemic characterization and modeling within herd transmission dynamics of an "emerging trans-boundary" camel disease epidemic in Ethiopia.

Adrian Muwonge1, Ashemeire Patience4, Clovice Kankya2, Demelash Biffa5, Eystein Skjerve1 and James Oloya3 1Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science 2Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Makerere University 3Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics/ Population Health, college of Public health, 132 Coverdell centre, University of Georgia Athens, 4Faculty of Community Psychology, Makerere University, 5Schools of Veterinary Medicine, Hawassa University, 1Norway 2,4Uganda 3USA 5Ethiopia

/pdf/non-tuberculous-mycobacteria-in-uganda-a-problem-or-not-1h9mffpcq4.pdf

Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria in Uganda: A Problem or Not?

A seroepidemiological study of Brucella infections in multiple livestock species in the Borana pastoral system of Ethiopia was performed between December 2007 and October 2008. A cross-sectional multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select 575 cattle, 1073 camels and 1248 goats from the target populations. Sera were collected from the animals, and serially tested using Rose Bengal test and complement fixation test. Overall prevalence and prevalence with respect to explanatory variables were established, and potential risk factors for seropositivity were analysed using a multivariable logistic regression. The results showed that 8·0% (95% CI 6·0-10·6), 1·8% (95% CI 1·1-2·8) and 1·6% (95% CI 1·0-2·5) of the tested cattle, camels and goats, respectively, had antibodies to Brucella antigen. Positive reactors were found in 93·8% of the villages with more frequent detection of positive cattle (93·3%) than camels (56·3%) and goats (37·5%). Risk factors identified for cattle were: keeping more livestock species at household level (OR 4·1, 95% CI 1·9-8·9), increasing age of the animal (OR 2·8, 95% CI 1·3-6·0) and wet season (OR 3·3, 95% CI 1·6-6·9). Increase in household-level species composition (OR 4·1, 95% CI 1·2-14·2) and wet season (OR 3·7, 95% CI 1·5-9·1) were found to be risk factors for seropositivity in camels and goats, respectively. Existence of more than one seroreactor animal species in most villages and association of increased livestock species composition with seropositivity may add more credence to the possibility of cross-species transmission of Brucella infections. Although no attempt to isolate Brucella spp. was made, our results suggest that cattle are more likely maintenance hosts of Brucella abortus which has spread to goats and camels. This should be substantiated by further isolation and identification of Brucella organisms to trace the source of infection and transmission dynamics in various hosts kept under mixed conditions. In conclusion, the present study suggests the need for investigating a feasible control intervention and raising public awareness on prevention methods of human exposure to brucellosis.

Seroepidemiological study of livestock brucellosis in a pastoral region

Handle everyday research tasks with reliable, citation-backed results

Your personal Research Agent to handle research tasks with citation-backed results

Popular Tasks used by Researchers

How can I help with your research?

Meet SciSpace

Get more enhanced response by uploading the PDFs you want me to reference.

No relevant PDFs in your library

SciSpace is the AI research assistant for academics. Run systematic literature reviews on 280M+ papers, and write papers with cited sources. Trusted by 1M+ students, PhDs & researchers.

SciSpace | AI for Research

Analyze PDFs

Code & Manuscripts

Funding & Grants

Literature & Patents

Medical & Clinical Data

Systematic Review

Visualize & Present

Web & Data

Build a Google Scholar-like website for your research.

Build a website

Create charts and images for your research

Create a Chart

Write a paper for submission to a journal

Draft a manuscript

Patent Search

Design eye-catching scientific posters in minutes.

Scientific Poster Generation

Systematic Literature Review

One task is running at the moment. Your messages will be shown right after.

Drag and drop or click here to browse

Loved by <highlight>1 million+</highlight> researchers

Extract a list of specific topics and their sources from unstructured text

Topics

Compare and analyze relevant papers that matches with your search

Papers

Get insights from PDFs and bookmarked papers from your library

My library

Recent searches

Try searching for:

Catch AI-generated content in scholarly and non-scholarly content

{ai} Detector

Ai Writer

Get PDF Summaries, highlighted text explanations 

Chat with PDF

Effortlessly create in-text citations and bibliographies in APA and 2,500 other formats

Citation generator

Get explanations, summaries, and answers on academic papers

Ease up your research workflow with {scispace}'s cohort of exciting AI tools

Elevate your academic writing skills and convey your ideas the way you want

Paraphraser

Explore our range of reading and writing tools

Your file is being prepared and should be ready in a few minutes. If it's a large file, it might take a bit longer. You can close this window, and we'll email you the file when it's done.

You have reached a maximum limit of <strong>{limit}</strong> columns in the table. Remove at least <strong>1</strong> column to add or create another one.

Demelash Biffa

Author Tools

Chat about Author

Papers

Epidemic characterization and modeling within herd transmission dynamics of an "emerging trans-boundary" camel disease epidemic in Ethiopia.

Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria in Uganda: A Problem or Not?

Seroepidemiological study of livestock brucellosis in a pastoral region