Abstract

A cross sectional study was conducted on 420 apparently healthy camels slaughtered at Akaki abattoir from October 2011 to March 2012 to determine the apparent prevalence of camel tuberculosis and to see its association with sex, age, origin and body condition of camels. Camels were examined for the presence of gross tuberculosis lesions and further cultured to isolate members of the genus Mycobacterium. The overall apparent prevalence of camel tuberculosis was 4.52% (95% confidence interval: 2.53, 6.51) based on gross tuberculosis lesion detection; 4 of them were culture positive for Mycobacterium bovis. The  apparent prevalence of camel tuberculosis was not influenced by sex, age, origin and body condition (p>0.05). In relation to distribution of the tuberculosis lesions in body organs, 57.14% of the tuberculosis lesions were localized in the lungs and associated lymph nodes, 28.57% in the retropharyngeal lymph nodes and 14.29% in the mesenteric lymph nodes. In conclusion, this study revealed that the occurrence of tuberculosis in camels at Akaki abattoir is a common phenomenon, hence at present a public health threat. As a result, public awareness and appropriate control and prevention measures should be implemented to reduce the public health and economic burden of the disease in the country.

Key words: Akaki abattoir, culture, dromedary camel, Mycobacterium bovis, apparent prevalence, tuberculosis lesion