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A study on some reproductive disorders in dromedary camel herds in Saudi Arabia with special references to uterine infections and abortion

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Abstract

Dromedary camels complaining from conception failure or abortion were investigated and their herders interviewed in Al Ahsa province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) during 2013 and 2015. The most important reproductive disorder according to the responders is uterine infection (60.2%) followed by obesity (22.3%) then physiological conditions (hormonal disturbances; 7.8%), adhesions (3.9%) and repeat breeders (2.9%). Of the camel herders, 78.6% reported previous occurrence of abortion in their herds and 46% reported abortion cases in the last season (2015/2016), while 21.4% reported no history of abortion. Most of the responders (97.1%) do not call a veterinarian for cases of abortion in their herds and 53.4% do not discard aborted materials. The majority of the herders (76.7%) deny that handling aborted materials or touching vaginal fluids can result in human infection, or replied they do not know. Uterine swab samples were collected and tested by PCR for seven potential pathogens and sera tested for antibodies against bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and Brucella. Five pathogens were identified in infected uterine samples, namely Coxiella burnetii (36%), Campylobacter spp. (27%), Brucella spp. (17%), Salmonella spp. (13%), and Chlamydia spp. (7%). Sero-prevalence of Brucella and BVDV was 8.2 and 29.1% in overall sera, respectively, and varies with regard to the region. The findings of the present study demonstrate that reproductive disorders dominated by uterine infections and abortions are widespread in dromedary camels in KSA.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a research grant no. 140167 from the Deanship of Scientific Research, King Faisal University, KSA. We thank Khalid Borsais, Camel Research Center, King Faisal University for laboratory assistance and Dr. Mohamed Omer Sahtout for assistance in the statistical analysis.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Camel Research Centre, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa, 31982, Saudi Arabia

    Abdelmalik I. Khalafalla & Marzook M. Al Eknah

  2. Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Khartoum, P.O. Box 32, Shambat, Sudan

    Abdelmalik I. Khalafalla

  3. Veterinary Laboratories Division, Animal Wealth Sector, Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 52150, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Abdelmalik I. Khalafalla

  4. Department of Animal and Fishery Production Science, College of Agricultural and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa, 31982, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Mahmoud Abdelaziz

  5. Department of Clinical Studies, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Resources, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa, 31982, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Ibrahim M. Ghoneim

Authors
  1. Abdelmalik I. Khalafalla
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  2. Marzook M. Al Eknah
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  3. Mahmoud Abdelaziz
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  4. Ibrahim M. Ghoneim
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Abdelmalik I. Khalafalla.

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Appendix

Appendix

Questionnaire used to obtain data on some reproductive data and diseases of dromedary camels and related knowledge and attitude of camel herders in Saudi Arabia

Date: Herd ID:

  1. 1.

    Region in Saudi Arabia:

    1. [1]

      Al Ahsa

    2. [2]

      Eastern region

    3. [3]

      Western region

    4. [4]

      Central region

  2. 2.

    Herd size:

    1. [1]

      ≤ 50

    2. [2]

      51-70

    3. [3]

      71-90\

    4. [4]

      ≥ 91

  3. 3.

    Breed of camel:

    1. [1]

      Majaheem

    2. [2]

      Maghateer

    3. [3]

      Mixed

  4. 4.

    Purpose of rearing:

    1. [1]

      Beauty

    2. [2]

      Milk production

    3. [3]

      Meat production

    4. [4]

      Race

    5. [5]

      More than one

  5. 5.

    Ownership source:

    1. [1]

      Purchase

    2. [2]

      Inherited

    3. [3]

      Purchase + inherited

  6. 6.

    Herders’ experience:

    1. [1]

      > 2 years

    2. [2]

      2-10 years

    3. [3]

      < 10 years

  7. 7.

    Female breeding age:

    1. [1]

      < 4 years

    2. [2]

      4-5 years

    3. [3]

      >5 years

  8. 8.

    Bull source:

    1. [1]

      Own herd

    2. [2]

      Purchase

    3. [3]

      Hiring

    4. [4]

      Own herd + purchase

    5. [5]

      Own herd + hiring

  9. 9.

    Number of adult males in herd:

    1. [1]

      1-5

    2. [2]

      6-10

    3. [3]

      11-20

    4. [4]

      ≥ 21

  10. 10.

    Number of adult females in herd:

    1. [1]

      1-5

    2. [2]

      6-10

    3. [3]

      11-20

    4. [4]

      ≥ 21

  11. 11.

    Type of delivery in last season

    1. [1]

      Normal

    2. [2]

      Dystocia

    3. [3]

      Abortion

    4. [4]

      Normal + Dystocia

    5. [5]

      Normal + Abortion

    6. [6]

      Normal + Dystocia + Abortion

  12. 12.

    Did abortion occurred previously in your herd:

    1. [1]

      Yes

    2. [2]

      No

  13. 13.

    Do you call a vet for abortion cases:

    1. [1]

      Yes

    2. [2]

      No

  14. 14.

    Do you use to bury or burn aborted feti:

    1. [1]

      Yes

    2. [2]

      No

  15. 15.

    Do you know aborted feti are infectious to man:

    1. [1]

      Yes

    2. [2]

      No

    3. [3]

      Do not know

  16. 16.

    What is the important reproductive problem:

    1. [1]

      Infection of vagina and uterus

    2. [2]

      Obesity

    3. [3]

      Abortion

    4. [4]

      Uterine prolapse

    5. [5]

      Adhesion of vagina and uterus

    6. [6]

      Physiological or hormonal

    7. [7]

      Nutritional

    8. [8]

      Repeat breeder

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Khalafalla, A.I., Al Eknah, M.M., Abdelaziz, M. et al. A study on some reproductive disorders in dromedary camel herds in Saudi Arabia with special references to uterine infections and abortion. Trop Anim Health Prod 49, 967–974 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-017-1284-x

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