Published Date: 2013-03-02 23:14:14
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed neural syndrome, camel - Jordan: RFI
Archive Number: 20130302.1567853
UNDIAGNOSED NEURAL SYNDROME, CAMEL - JORDAN: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
********************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org
Date: Sat 2 Mar 2013
From: Michele Cotton [edited]
<micheleksa@gmail.com>
Suspected Tetanus in a camel. Request for information
-------------------------------------------
Camels are not regarded as being very susceptible to tetanus, nor is it reported very often.
In Jordan we saw a one month old camel showing the following symptoms:
Day 1: Owners observed camel reluctant to stand and when made to stand and walk displayed sawhorse position, spastic extension of limbs, especially forelimbs.
Day 2: It was slightly improved and was seen suckling from its mother.
Day 3: We were called to see it. Rectal temp was 34.2C. Not elevated. It had spasticity of forelimbs and neck, perhaps to a lesser degree the hindlimbs too and while able to open its mouth seemed to have lips pulled back more than one would expect, resembling a grimace. It was not salivating excessively. Forcing it to stand resulted in loud crying, it was difficult to know to what extent this was due to fear of humans or to pain at having to move. Its mother was unconcerned at these outbursts.
Making the camel walk was not easy, when it did try to move forward it did so with extended legs and looked like a rocking horse. This elicited loud complaints from it which we took to be a sign that this was painful.
It sat down as soon as it could, in spite of our proximity, and stopped crying when it did so.
Interesting was the fact that when it was sitting it sat with its legs folded underneath it in classical camel sitting position. It never showed signs of lying on its side in a sawhorse position on the ground. We regarded this as a hopeful sign.
There was no history or signs of penetrating injuries but the symptoms suggested tetanus.
Having ruled out strychnine poisoning (none used) and rabies (the latter unlikely due to age and history), the presumptive diagnosis was anteriorly concentrated localised tetanus.
On close examination evidence of multiple penetrating wounds was present in the form of a large number (over 20) big Hyalomma sp. Ticks that were situated mainly around the camels head and neck on both sides.
The camel was treated with 7 days of intramuscular penicillin, given tetanus toxoid in the hope that it might elicit some immunity to the disease over and above the immunogenic effects of the toxin from any _C.tetani_ present (there being no tetanus antitoxin available), and phenylbutazone to relieve pain if possible. These were the only drugs available so use of other recommended therapies, even acetylpromazine/chlorpromazine or any muscle relaxants was not an option.
The owners were requested to keep the camel quiet and if possible aid it in drinking milk.
A very guarded prognosis was given along with advice to remove all the ticks and to wash the camel in medicated shampoo.
Three days later the camel was walking almost normally but had not regained the ability to suckle.
A week later the camel was walking normally and able to suckle but has bouts of extended sitting which the owners feel are abnormal behaviour at this age.
We hope to see it make a full recovery.
We have a theory as to a possible cause:
Approximately 2 weeks prior to this syndrome there was a lot of rain in the area. The yards in which the animals were kept are very contaminated with the faeces of many animal species, camels, sheep, goats, donkeys. There was a lot of mud at the time.
We can imagine that if the baby camel had been infested with ticks during this period there is a reasonable chance that it was bitten by either a dirty tick from the ground or else its own muddy skin was penetrated and Clostridial spores gained access at that time.
Opinions about the likely epidemiology of this and any insight into any syndrome that resembles this in camels that is NOT tetanus would be very warmly welcomed.
--
Michele Cotton
Australian Volunteers International
Veterinary Adviser
Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA)
Jordan
<micheleksa@gmail.com>
[Recovery of a young camel from tetanus caused by _Cl. tetani_, without application of antitoxin, is rather unusual. Suggested to consider other etiologies; one which comes to mind is tick paralysis, probably caused by _Hyalomma dromedarii_ or another member of the Ixodidae family. This does not necessarily preclude other possible conditions, infectious or otherwise.
According to ref 1, Hyalomma adults and/or Rhipicephalus nymphs and adults were incriminated to be the cause of tick paralysis observed in Sudan in 251 camels of different ages, causing 34.3 percent mortality. The symptoms were incoordination of movements, unsteady gait and recumbency followed by death or recovery. Treatment with acaricides seemed effective.
References
1. Musa MT, Osman OM (1990). An outbreak of suspected tick paralysis in one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) in the Sudan
Rev Elev Med Vet Pays Trop. 43(4):505-10.
2. van Straten M, Jongejan F. (1993). Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) infesting the Arabian camel (Camelus dromedarius) in the Sinai, Egypt with a note on the acaricidal efficacy of ivermectin. Exp Appl Acarol. 17(8):605-16.
In Israel, tick paralysis in goats has been documented, caused by _Ixodes ricinus var gibbosus_. The syndrome is locally known by the (Arabic) name "Warwar." Removal of the ticks was reportedly followed by recovery.
Subscribers with experience in camel health, particularly in the Middle East, are invited to contribute their views. - Mod.AS
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed neural syndrome, camel - Jordan: RFI
Archive Number: 20130302.1567853
UNDIAGNOSED NEURAL SYNDROME, CAMEL - JORDAN: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
********************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org
Date: Sat 2 Mar 2013
From: Michele Cotton [edited]
<micheleksa@gmail.com>
Suspected Tetanus in a camel. Request for information
-------------------------------------------
Camels are not regarded as being very susceptible to tetanus, nor is it reported very often.
In Jordan we saw a one month old camel showing the following symptoms:
Day 1: Owners observed camel reluctant to stand and when made to stand and walk displayed sawhorse position, spastic extension of limbs, especially forelimbs.
Day 2: It was slightly improved and was seen suckling from its mother.
Day 3: We were called to see it. Rectal temp was 34.2C. Not elevated. It had spasticity of forelimbs and neck, perhaps to a lesser degree the hindlimbs too and while able to open its mouth seemed to have lips pulled back more than one would expect, resembling a grimace. It was not salivating excessively. Forcing it to stand resulted in loud crying, it was difficult to know to what extent this was due to fear of humans or to pain at having to move. Its mother was unconcerned at these outbursts.
Making the camel walk was not easy, when it did try to move forward it did so with extended legs and looked like a rocking horse. This elicited loud complaints from it which we took to be a sign that this was painful.
It sat down as soon as it could, in spite of our proximity, and stopped crying when it did so.
Interesting was the fact that when it was sitting it sat with its legs folded underneath it in classical camel sitting position. It never showed signs of lying on its side in a sawhorse position on the ground. We regarded this as a hopeful sign.
There was no history or signs of penetrating injuries but the symptoms suggested tetanus.
Having ruled out strychnine poisoning (none used) and rabies (the latter unlikely due to age and history), the presumptive diagnosis was anteriorly concentrated localised tetanus.
On close examination evidence of multiple penetrating wounds was present in the form of a large number (over 20) big Hyalomma sp. Ticks that were situated mainly around the camels head and neck on both sides.
The camel was treated with 7 days of intramuscular penicillin, given tetanus toxoid in the hope that it might elicit some immunity to the disease over and above the immunogenic effects of the toxin from any _C.tetani_ present (there being no tetanus antitoxin available), and phenylbutazone to relieve pain if possible. These were the only drugs available so use of other recommended therapies, even acetylpromazine/chlorpromazine or any muscle relaxants was not an option.
The owners were requested to keep the camel quiet and if possible aid it in drinking milk.
A very guarded prognosis was given along with advice to remove all the ticks and to wash the camel in medicated shampoo.
Three days later the camel was walking almost normally but had not regained the ability to suckle.
A week later the camel was walking normally and able to suckle but has bouts of extended sitting which the owners feel are abnormal behaviour at this age.
We hope to see it make a full recovery.
We have a theory as to a possible cause:
Approximately 2 weeks prior to this syndrome there was a lot of rain in the area. The yards in which the animals were kept are very contaminated with the faeces of many animal species, camels, sheep, goats, donkeys. There was a lot of mud at the time.
We can imagine that if the baby camel had been infested with ticks during this period there is a reasonable chance that it was bitten by either a dirty tick from the ground or else its own muddy skin was penetrated and Clostridial spores gained access at that time.
Opinions about the likely epidemiology of this and any insight into any syndrome that resembles this in camels that is NOT tetanus would be very warmly welcomed.
--
Michele Cotton
Australian Volunteers International
Veterinary Adviser
Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA)
Jordan
<micheleksa@gmail.com>
[Recovery of a young camel from tetanus caused by _Cl. tetani_, without application of antitoxin, is rather unusual. Suggested to consider other etiologies; one which comes to mind is tick paralysis, probably caused by _Hyalomma dromedarii_ or another member of the Ixodidae family. This does not necessarily preclude other possible conditions, infectious or otherwise.
According to ref 1, Hyalomma adults and/or Rhipicephalus nymphs and adults were incriminated to be the cause of tick paralysis observed in Sudan in 251 camels of different ages, causing 34.3 percent mortality. The symptoms were incoordination of movements, unsteady gait and recumbency followed by death or recovery. Treatment with acaricides seemed effective.
References
1. Musa MT, Osman OM (1990). An outbreak of suspected tick paralysis in one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) in the Sudan
Rev Elev Med Vet Pays Trop. 43(4):505-10.
2. van Straten M, Jongejan F. (1993). Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) infesting the Arabian camel (Camelus dromedarius) in the Sinai, Egypt with a note on the acaricidal efficacy of ivermectin. Exp Appl Acarol. 17(8):605-16.
In Israel, tick paralysis in goats has been documented, caused by _Ixodes ricinus var gibbosus_. The syndrome is locally known by the (Arabic) name "Warwar." Removal of the ticks was reportedly followed by recovery.
Subscribers with experience in camel health, particularly in the Middle East, are invited to contribute their views. - Mod.AS