P8-09 An Epidemiological Study of Brucellosis in Camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Khartoum State, Sudan

Abstract

A study was conducted from April to September 2012, to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors for brucellosis infection in camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Khartoum State, Sudan. A total of 415 camels in 39 herds were included in the study from four localities and blood samples were collected and screened by RBPT. Twenty four samples tested positive giving an individual animal prevalence rate of 5.8%. All RBPT positive reactors were further tested by cELISA which confirmed 21 seropositive cases out of 24 RBPT reactors (87.5%). Eighteen herds were found seropositive among the 39 herds included in the study giving a herd prevalence of 46%. In the univariate analysis there was a significant increase in seropositivity of brucellosis in camel with respect to age and herd size (P≤ 0.05). Conversely, governorate, locality, sex, feeding, type of management, type of production, contact with other camels, source of new camels, source of water, housing, contact with other ruminants and contact with dogs were not found significantly associated with brucellosis (P≥ 0.05).Multivariate analysis showed that large herd size comprising more than 20camels was significantly associated with seroprevalence of camel brucellosis (Exp B=5.660; 95% CI: 1.258 -25.463; P≤0.05). The results of the present study indicate that Brucella exists within the camel herds in KhartoumState. The disease is widely distributed among large camel herds in the State. Further studies need to be done on Brucella infection in the other ruminants to determine which measures should be followed for control of brucellosis.