A transversal study on antibodies against selected pathogens in dromedary camels in the Canary Islands, Spain.

Abstract

The Canary Islands contain the most important dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius) population in the European Union and are the main export point of dromedaries to continental Europe and Latin America. We investigated the presence of antibodies against relevant disease agents in 100 Canarian camel sera. Selected blood samples of the same animals were also tested by PCR. Sera were tested for antibodies against Bluetongue virus (BTV; 0%), Bovine Viral Diarrhoea virus (BVDV; 0%), Camelpox virus (CPV; 8% by serum neutralization, 16% by ELISA), Peste des Petits Ruminants virus (PPRV, 0%), Rift Valley Fever virus (RVFV; 0%) and West Nile Fever virus (WNV; 3%), the bacterial pathogens Anaplasma sp. (3%), Brucella sp. (1%), Coxiella burnetii (19%), Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (MAP; 22%), Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC; 10%) and Rickettsia sp. (83%), and the parasites Toxoplasma gondii (36%) and Neospora caninum (86%). The most remarkable findings were the detection of antibodies against CPV and the high antibody prevalence against C. burnetii, Rickettsia sp., T. gondii and N. caninum. By PCR, we found no C. burnetii, N. caninum and Anaplasma sp. DNA in the tested samples. However, Rickettsia sp. DNA was detected in six antibody positive tested samples. These results should be taken into consideration in order to implement adequate control measures and avoid a potential dissemination of infections to other territories.

• Authors: Gregorio Mentaberre, Carlos Gutiérrez, Noé F Rodríguez, Sunitha Joseph, David González-Barrio, Oscar Cabezón, José de la Fuente, Christian Gortazar, Mariana Boadella
• Journal: Veterinary microbiology (Vet Microbiol) Vol. 167 Issue 3-4 Pg. 468-73 (Dec 27 2013) ISSN: 1873-2542 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 23992795 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Bacterial
• Antibodies, Protozoan
• Antibodies, Viral

Topics

• Animals
• Antibodies, Bacterial (blood)
• Antibodies, Protozoan (blood)
• Antibodies, Viral (blood)
• Bacterial Infections (diagnosis, epidemiology, veterinary)
• Camelus (microbiology, parasitology, virology)
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
• Female
• Male
• Protozoan Infections, Animal (diagnosis, epidemiology)
• Seroepidemiologic Studies
• Spain
• Virus Diseases (diagnosis, epidemiology, veterinary)