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PRINT: ISSN 2221-1896
ONLINE : ISSN 2223-0343
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The Prevalence of Brucella
spp. in camel milk marketed
from North Eastern Province, Kenya |
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Wanjohi M., Gitao C.G. and Bebora L. |
Department of Veterinary
Pathology and Microbiology,
University of Nairobi, Kenya |
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Abstract |
The camel is the dominant
livestock in North Eastern province where it provides sustenance to many
people especially during the frequent dry periods when other animals die
or are unthrifty. Garissa and Wajir districts in the arid
Northern Kenya hosts about 54% of the national camel herd
estimated to number over 3 million.
Camel milk from North Eastern
Province in
Kenya
is widely marketed in those areas but is also currently being sold in
distant markets in Nairobi
and other places. An expanded camel milk market provides an opportunity
for increased income that can lead to improved pastoral livelihoods.
Most of the milk is collected from individual pastoralists, bulked and
then taken by transporters to urban areas. While some milk is boiled
before sale, some of the milk however is marketed as raw thus exposing
the population to zoonotic diseases. In an investigation to find the
prevalence of Brucellosis, the main zoonotic agent in milk, samples of
milk for marketing were collected as well as serum samples from camels
in North Eastern Province A total of three hundred and eighty four (384)
camel milk samples from Garrissa and Wajir Districts were tested using
the Milk Ring Test (MRT) and out of the total, fifty nine (59) samples
(15.36%) tested positive while three hundred and twenty five (325)
samples tested negative. From Garrissa District (n = 230), 35 samples
(15.22%) were positive for MRT while 24 samples (15.58%) from Wajir
District (n = 154) were positive. All the milk samples examined were
negative for Brucella Modified Ziehl- Neelsen’s
stain as well as primary isolation of Brucella on Tryptose Soy agar
(TSA) under high carbon-dioxide (CO2) concentration. The
results of the milk ring test on the samples tested indicated that
15.36% of the samples were positive for the presence of Brucella
antibodies in milk. A total of two hundred (200) camel serum samples
from Garrissa and Wajir Districts were tested using the Rose Bengal
Plate Test (RBPT). Four (4) samples (2.0%) tested positive. From
Garrissa District (n = 72), 2 samples (2.78%), were positive while 2
samples (1.56%) from Wajir District (n = 128) were positive. The two
hundred (200) camel serum samples from Garrissa and Wajir Districts were
also tested using the Serum Micro-agglutination Test (SAT). From
Garrissa District (n = 72), 13 samples (18.06%) were positive while 8
samples (6.25%) from Wajir District (n = 128) were positive. The
seroprevalence of brucellosis in camels is low in extensively kept
pastoralist camels. Some of the recommendations to avoid the risk of
zoonotic diseases include increased awareness on pasteurization of camel
milk, proper milk handling and milk testing before pooling
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Keywords:
Camel milk; north eastern Kenya;
brucellosis |
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To cite this article:
Wanjohi M, Gitao CG, Bebora L, 2012.
The prevalence of brucella
spp in camel milk marketed from north eastern province.
Res.
Opin. Anim. Vet. Sci., 2(7), 425-434. |
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