Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates; ASPIRE Research Institute for Food Security in the Drylands (ARIFSID), United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
Veterinary Services Section, Public Health Services Department, Dubai Municipality, P.O. Box 67, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports. 2024 May;50:101006. doi: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2024.101006. Epub 2024 Feb 28.
Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) affecting dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) have considerable importance in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) because of the consequences associated with production decline and economic losses. Our study aimed to determine the prevalence of selected VBDs in camels in the UAE and identify risk factors. This research is currently affected by the low number of epidemiological molecular surveys addressing this issue. Blood samples were obtained from 425 dromedary camels from different locations across the UAE. Whole genomic DNA was isolated, and PCR screening was done to detect piroplasmids (Babesia/Theileria spp.), Trypanosoma spp., and Anaplasmataceae spp. (Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Neorickettsia and Wolbachia spp.). Amplicons were sequenced, and phylogenetic trees were constructed. Trypanosoma sequences were identified as T. brucei evansi, whereas Anaplasmataceae sequences were identified as A. platys-like. All camels were negative for Babesia/Theileria spp. (0%); however, 18 camels were positive for T. b. evansi (4%) and 52 were positive for A. platys-like (12%). Mixed infection with T. b. evansi and A. platys-like was found in one camel. Statistical analyses revealed that camels with a brown coat colour were significantly more prone to acquire the A. platys-like strain compared with those having a clearer coat. A similar finding was observed when comparing urban moving camels with desert indoor and urban indoor camels. Continuous disease surveillance is required to ensure and maintain the good health status of the camels in the UAE. Nonetheless, the risk of disease outbreak remains if the misuse of drugs continues.
受媒介传播疾病（VBDs）影响的单峰骆驼（Camelus dromedarius）在阿拉伯联合酋长国有重要意义，因为这会导致生产下降和经济损失。我们的研究旨在确定阿联酋骆驼中选定的 VBD 流行率，并确定风险因素。目前，这项研究受到解决这个问题的流行病学分子调查数量较少的影响。从阿联酋各地的 425 只单峰骆驼中采集了血液样本。分离全基因组 DNA，并进行 PCR 筛选，以检测巴贝虫/泰勒虫（Babesia/Theileria spp.）、锥虫（Trypanosoma spp.）和立克次氏体科（Anaplasmataceae spp.）（无形体、埃立克体、新立克次体和沃尔巴克氏体）。扩增子进行测序，并构建系统发育树。锥虫序列被鉴定为 T. brucei evansi，而立克次氏体科序列被鉴定为 A. platys-like。所有骆驼均为巴贝虫/泰勒虫（0%）阴性；然而，18 只骆驼为 T. b. evansi（4%）阳性，52 只为 A. platys-like（12%）阳性。一只骆驼同时感染了 T. b. evansi 和 A. platys-like。统计分析显示，棕色皮毛的骆驼比皮毛较浅的骆驼更容易感染 A. platys-like 株。在比较城市移动骆驼与沙漠室内和城市室内骆驼时，也观察到了类似的发现。需要进行持续的疾病监测，以确保和维持阿联酋骆驼的良好健康状况。尽管如此，如果继续滥用药物，疾病爆发的风险仍然存在。
