Impact of antibiotics on spermatozoa quality and bacterial load of chilled-stored camels (Camelus dromedarius) semen.

This experiment was conducted to assess the effect of different antibiotics in tris-fructose egg yolk-based diluent on bacterial load and sperm quality of dromedary camels during processing and cold storage. Ten semen ejaculates were collected from five male dromedary camels. Each sample was fractioned into four equally divided aliquots and diluted in one of four tris-fructose egg yolk. The first extender contained no antibiotic (NC). The second extender included streptomycin sulphate (1000 µg/ml) and benzyl penicillin (1000 IU/ml) (SP). The third extender was supplied with 250 µg/ml gentamicin sulphate (Gent). The fourth extender contained 500 µg/ml gentamicin sulphate,100 µg/ml tylosin tartrate, 300 µg/ml lincomycin hydrochloride and 600 µg/ml spectinomycin hydrochloride (GTLS). After dilution, the extended semen samples were cooled to 5 °C within 2 h and finally stored at 5 °C for 72 h. Microbial concentration, motility of spermatozoa, live spermatozoa, plasma membrane and acrosome integrity percentages were evaluated just after dilution at 35 °C, 0, 24, 48 and 72 h from the start of cooling to 5 °C. The results revealed that the diluent containing gentamicin had significantly (P<0.05) maximum motility percentage at the different examination intervals. The pattern of live spermatozoa percentage was varied between the different treatments at different examination intervals. The diluent supplied with Gent was distinguished with a significant peak percentage (P<0.05) of swelled spermatozoa among the other antibiotics supplied diluents. The number of colony-forming units isolated from the semen samples kept in diluent containing no antibiotics was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that isolated from the diluents supplemented with antibiotics. In conclusion, the semen diluents fortified with gentamicin generally keep the motility, acrosomal and plasma membrane integrity and live spermatozoa for 72-h preservation of dromedary semen.

Characterization of microbes associated with cervico-vaginal adhesion in the reproductive system of camels (Camelus dromedaries).

Vaginal and cervical adhesions are severe long-standing reproductive disorder in dromedaries and consequently result in a high culling rate. This study was designed to compare the microbial communities of the vaginae, cervices, and uteri of normal (n = 10) camels versus camels suffering from cervico-vaginal adhesion (n = 23). Vaginal, cervical, and uterine swab samples were collected from control and affected animals. Furthermore, serum samples were obtained for serological testing of Chlamydiosis and Coxiellosis. For bacteriological and fungal examination, swab samples were plated on Columbia and Saboraud's dextrose agar, respectively. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was applied to samples expressed seropositive for Chlamydiosis. Vaginal swab bacterial cultures showed that the affected animals were significantly infected with Staphylococcus aureus (P = 0.0322, CI: 0.25-0.95) than the control, while mycological cultures showed that both control and affected animals were infected with Cryptococcus and Candida albicans. Corynebacterium spp. (22.7%), Pseudomonas spp. (4.5%), Klebsiella spp. (9.1%), T. pyogenes (18.2%), and anaerobic bacteria (Fusobacterium necrophorum and Clostridium spp.; 34.78%) were also identified in affected animals. Cervical samples from affected animals were distinguished by the existence of S. aureus (27.8%), Klebsiella spp. (5.6%), Corynebacterium spp. (22.2%), Cryptococcus (16.7%), Proteus spp. (11.1% (, T. pyogenes (11.1%), Pseudomonas spp. (5.6%), and Fusobacterium necrophorum (17.4%). Uterine samples from affected animals were characterized by the presence of S. aureus (22.2%), Streptococcus (22.2%), Corynebacterium spp. (11.1%), E. coli (11.1%), and Pseudomonas spp. (11.1%). Anaerobic bacteria were not isolated from control nor affected animals. Enzyme immunoassays revealed that 50% and 34.8% of the control and affected animals were positive for Coxiella burnetii, respectively, Chlamydia was detected in 43.5% of samples from affected animals, only 60% of which were confirmed positive. These results show that microbial communities linked with cervico-vaginal adhesion in dromedary camels are likely to be polymicrobial. The findings of this study are helpful in designing antimicrobial therapies toward reducing the incidence for cervico-vaginal adhesion.

Evaluation of the microbial quality of fresh ejaculates of camel (Camelus dromedarius) semen.

A series of five factorial arranged experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of different management during semen collection on the microbial quality (bacterial load, type of microbes and frequency of isolation) of dromedaries' semen. Microbial analysis of seventy-nine fresh ejaculates from twenty-two camels showed the presence of nine variant colonies. The most prevalent organisms in the dromedary semen were species of Staphylococcus, Bacillus and Streptococcus. One yeast species was represented among the isolates. The middle aged camels (9-13 years) had significantly (P>0.05) higher mean bacterial loads than young (4-8 years) and old aged (14-18 years) animals. The mean bacterial populations of ejaculates collected by an electro-ejaculator were significantly (P>0.05) higher than those collected by an artificial vagina. Candida spp. was identified in 53.8% of the samples collected by an electro-ejaculator and was not detected in ejaculates collected by an artificial vagina. The mean semen bacterial load detected during the breeding season was significantly (P<0.01) higher than that collected during the non-breeding season. No fungi were isolated from semen samples collected in the non-breeding season. The difference between the mean semen bacterial loads in the first and the second ejaculate was highly significant (P<0.01). The preputial wash significantly (P<0.01) reduced the bacterial load. This study revealed that the microbial contamination of dromedaries' semen is found in different intensities during different management procedures of semen collection.