Brucellosis in camels, cattle and humans: associations and evaluation of serological tests used for diagnosis of the disease in certain nomadic localities in Sudan.

Brucellosis was studied in 2,225 camels, 20 camel nomads and 33 abattoir workers in certain nomadic localities in Sudan, using serum and milk samples. Lymph nodes, testicular tissues and udder tissues from positive camels and hygroma aspirates from three affected cows were used for isolation of Brucella. Serum samples were examined by Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT), modified RBPT (mRBPT), serum agglutination test (SAT) and competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA), and milk by the milk ring test. Overall seroprevalence in camels (milk and serum samples) was 37.5%. The seroprevalence in males was 28.2% and in females 40.1%. Twelve (60%) of the 20 nomads and three (9%) of the 33 abattoir workers had positive antibody titres. Brucella abortus biovar 6 was isolated from two camels and three cows. Two isolates, one from each species, were atypical. The bacteriological findings suggested that camels were infected from cattle, the primary hosts of B. abortus. The mRBPT was suitable for screening camel sera for brucellosis, but the cELISA detected 2.1% more positives. The SAT antibody concentrations ranged between < 13 and 3,282 IU/ml.

Brucellosis in camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Darfur, Western Sudan.

In a field outbreak of brucellosis in 21 camels mixed with cattle, sheep and goats, five camels, three of which showed clinical signs, were serologically positive. In a subsequent abattoir survey of apparently healthy camels, six animals were seropositive, albeit with titres that tended to be lower than those found in the field outbreak. Of the six seropositive slaughtered camels, five were shown to have lymph nodes (prescapular and supramammary) infected with brucellae (Brucella melitensis biovar 3, two camels; Brucella abortus biovar 6, three camels). Infection of camels with B. abortus biovar 6 had not previously been reported. Infection of the supramammary lymph nodes presents a potential hazard to those who consume raw camels' milk, a common practice in nomadic camel owners.

Brucellosis in humans associated with animals.

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Aspiration sclerotherapy for hydroceles in the tropics.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the usefulness of aspiration sclerotherapy in the treatment of hydroceles in the tropics. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective study included 82 patients with 94 primary vaginal hydroceles of which 62 hydroceles were treated by aspiration and tetracycline hydrochloride sclerotherapy as an outpatient procedure (mean age of patients 56.5 years, range 40-82) and 28 were treated surgically and included as controls (mean age 52.4 years, range 40-70). All patients were followed for a year. RESULTS: In the sclerotherapy group, the overall cure rate after a year was 95%. Few complications were encountered in this group: six patients (10%) experienced pain during the procedure, seven patients (12%) had local infection and three patients (5%) developed haematoma. No recurrence was encountered in the surgical group, seven patients (25%) had infection and two patients (7%) developed haematoma. The mean hospital stay for the surgical group was 3.4 +/- 1.3 days (range 1-7). Four patients with thick-walled hydroceles had persistent swelling after sclerotherapy, the recurrence of which dissatisfied the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Aspiration sclerotherapy for thin-walled hydroceles proved to be a curative, simple, safe and cost-effective out-patient procedure. It can be an alternative to surgery in developing countries where resources are limited.

The isolation of Brucella melitensis biovar 3 from a testicular hygroma of a ram in a nomadic flock of sheep and goats in western Sudan.

Brucella melitensis biovar 3 was isolated from a testicular hygroma in a ram from a nomadic flock of sheep and goats serologically positive for brucellosis and with a history of occasional abortions. The affected testis was enlarged, extensively damaged and contained fluid. The isolation of this biovar identifies the need for further investigations into the prevalence of brucellosis and the particular biovars involved in nomadic animals.

Clinical manifestations of brucellosis in cattle of the southern Darfur Province, western Sudan.

Ninety-seven adult Zebu cattle with hygromas, 32 with arthritis and two showing long calving intervals were investigated for brucellosis. 92 per cent of hygromatous cattle, 62 per cent of arthritic cattle and both animals having long calving intervals were serologically positive and 65 per cent of milk samples were positive by the Milk Ring Test. Hygromas were found on the jaw, bursa, thigh, flank, hip, shoulder, neck and joints. Hygroma aspirates gave higher titres than sera in the serum agglutination test. IgG1, IgG2 and IgA were detected in all the aspirates and all but one contained IgM. Cattle with hygromas are a potential source of infection to other animals and a serious public health problem.

Brucella biovars isolated from nomadic cattle in the southern Darfur Province of western Sudan.

The occurrence of brucellosis and the identification of biovars of Brucella species isolated from infected cattle were studied in nomadic, semi-nomadic and sedentary populations in the South Darfur Province of Western Sudan. Brucellosis was widespread in the area and in all management systems investigated. Forty-one strains of B. abortus were isolated and all were found to be biovar 6.

An outbreak of suspected tick paralysis in one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) in the Sudan.

An outbreak of suspected tick paralysis occurred in one-humped camels in Southern Darfur, the Sudan, between latitudes 11-12 degrees N and longitudes 24-25 degrees E, when the camels were herded in tick infested areas. It involved 251 camels of different ages, in ten herds causing 34.3% mortality. The symptoms were incoordination of movements, unsteady gait and recumbency followed by death or recovery. Hyalomma adults and/or Rhipicephalus nymphs and adults were incriminated to be the cause of the disease. Transient paralysis in a guinea pig was produced after experimental feeding of ticks. Removal of the camels from the tick infested areas and treatment against the ectoparasites with Lindane at the concentration of 0.23% contributed to controlling the disease.

Note on an association of Clostridium novyi type A and Clostridium sordellii with a case of gas-gangrene in a Zebu cow.

A case of gas-gangrene myositis on a Zebu cow with association of Clostridium novyi type A and Clostridium sordellii is described. The occurrence of both organisms in the same lesion has been rarely reported and differential diagnosis with blackleg is difficult in the absence of bacteriological tests. An iatrogenic cause cannot be overruled as routine mass vaccination against blackleg are practiced in the area with possible introduction of spores through infection material. Full recovery occurred after four days intramuscular Terramycin shot.

Observations on Sudanese camel nasal myiasis caused by the larvae of Cephalopina titillator.

Forty-four camels slaughtered at Nyala abattoir, western Sudan, were examined for infection with the larvae of Cephalopina titillator. The infection rate was found to be 100 p. 100. The parasitic burden ranged between 8-243 per animal. They were recovered throughout the year. The first stage larvae were noticed from December to May, indicating the breeding season of the fly. The larvae were found to cause visible pathological lesions on the nasopharynx. These were also demonstrated histopathologically. Bacteriological examinations revealed the presence of Pasteurella haemolytica and Klebsiella ozaenae as possible causes of pneumonia, and Corynebacterium species which could possibly cause pyogenic infections locally. Organisms from the camel environment like Bacillus and Proteus species were also isolated.

Characterisation of Nocardia farcinica isolated from cattle with bovine farcy.

Twenty-one strains of Nocardia farcinica isolated from cattle with bovine farcy in the Sudan were examined to determine their taxonomic relationships. The strains had morphological, cultural and physiological properties of Nocardia, but exhibited some variations of minor taxonomic importance. All strains contained lipids characteristic of nocardiae (LCN-As) and all except two were found by immunodiffusion tests to be serologically related to each other, to N asteroides but not to Mycobacterium tuberculosis nor M bovis. Consequently, these organisms were regarded as true members of the genus Nocardia.