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The haematological and biochemical effects of the gastrointestinal nematodes prevalent in camels (Camelus dromedarius) in central Saudi Arabia

  • Parasitology
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Abstract

Coprological examinations on 1200 Najdi camels (Camelus dromedarius) in the Gassim region of central Saudi Arabia between October 1992 and September 1993 revealed the presence of strongyletype, Nematodirus and Strongyloides eggs. In addition, examination of the gastrointestinal tracts of 240 camels slaughtered in different abattoirs in the Gassim region from March to August 1994 revealed 11 species of helminths. Infection with gastrointestinal trichostronglyes resulted in normocytic, normochromic anaemia. Adult infected camels showed leukocytosis, a decrease in total serum protein concentration and increases in blood urea concentration and in serum creatine phosphokinase activity.

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Abbreviations

ALP:

alkaline phosphatase

AST:

aspartate aminotransferase

CPK:

creatine phosphokinase; epg, eggs per gram

GGT:

gamma-glutamyl transferase

Hb:

haemoglobin

MCV:

mean corpuscular volume

MCHC:

mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration

PCV:

packed cell volume

RBC:

red blood cell

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Veterinary Medicine, King Saud University, PO Box 1482, Buraydah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    E. M. Haroun, O. M. Mahmoud, M. Magzoub, Y. Abdel Hamid & O. H. Omer

Authors
  1. E. M. Haroun
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  2. O. M. Mahmoud
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  3. M. Magzoub
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  4. Y. Abdel Hamid
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  5. O. H. Omer
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Haroun, E.M., Mahmoud, O.M., Magzoub, M. et al. The haematological and biochemical effects of the gastrointestinal nematodes prevalent in camels (Camelus dromedarius) in central Saudi Arabia. Veterinary Research Communications 20, 255–264 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00366923

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00366923

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