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. 1995 Dec 1;36(4):423–431. doi: 10.1186/BF03547657

Relations Between Udder Infection and Somatic Cells in Camel (Camelus dromedarius) Milk

Samband mellan juverinfektion och somatiska celler i mjölk från kamel (Camelas dromedarius)

OA Sh Abdurahman 14,✉, H Agab 24, B Abbas 34, G Åström 14
PMCID: PMC8095449  PMID: 8669370

Abstract

Quarter milk samples (n = 391) from 101 camels were examined to study the occurrence and causes of mastitis in traditionally managed camels in eastern Sudan and to evaluate the value of the California Mastitis Test (CMT), somatic cell count (SCC) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the detection of subclinical mastitis in the camel.

One hundred and seventy (43.5%) of the quarter milk samples yielded pathogenic bacteria. Streptococcus agalactiae, other Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus, coag–ulase–negative staphylococci, and Escherichia coli were isolated from milk. Thirty–two (8.2%) quarter milk samples yielded mixed cultures, and 189 (48.3%) yielded no growth.

Mean values for CMT, SCC and ATP were higher for quarters infected with major pathogens. However, a significant number of quarter milk samples had elevated values in these tests but were from quarters from which no bacteria were isolated. The ability of the tests to predict a positive bacteriology increased slightly when 2 or 3 tests were combined. kw|Keywords|k]inflammation; k]diagnostic tests; k]Mastitis; k]CMT; k]ATP; k]bacteriology; k]Sudan

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the camel owners and herders for their cooperation, and to Agr. Dr. Ulf Emanuelson for help with statistical analysis. This study was supported by Swedish Agency for Research and Cooperation.

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