Apex Centre for Animal Disease Investigation, Monitoring and Surveillance, College of Veterinary and Animal Science, Rajasthan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bikaner-334 001
Online published on 19 December, 2013.
Camelpox is a highly contagious viral disease of camels in all camel rearing countries. The virus belongs to the genus Capripox of the sub-family Chordopoxvirinae of the Poxviridae family and is transmitted by the aerosol route, close contact and mechanically biting flies. In the present investigation observations on different aspects of infection including animal population in the area, species affected, age of the animals affected, time of onset of the disease, clinical signs, course of the disease, morbidity and mortality, clinical signs, post-mortem changes, spatial and temporal distribution of the disease along with sudden environmental changes were recorded. The virus was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. The study was done during outbreaks in north-west Rajasthan and spanned from 2007 till 2012. The available camels were clinically examined and samples (Scabs, blood and impression smears prepared from the site of scab) were collected from camels for further studies. Initially the disease was seen in few animals in some areas only starting from October 2007 and which vanished by April 2008. In next winter season i.e. starting from October 2008 the disease reappeared with big bang in larger population inflicting animals of all the ages in all the districts but animals which got affected during previous years remained unaffected. During next winter season starting from October 2009 to Feb 2012 no cases of camel pox were recorded. Mortalities were recorded more in young and less in adult ones.Clinical manifestation included dullness, depression, off feed, high temperature, development of typical pox lesions with all the classical stages of macule, papule, pustule and scab formation. Generally the lesions started developing after five days of onset of primary signs. The generalized form of the disease was seen in most of the cases with distribution of lesions on all parts of the body. However, they were first recognizable on non-hairy parts like below the tail, perineum, sheath, teats. After about 8–10 days of the disease there was development of corneal opacity which developed from inside to outside. There was development of edema in the dependent parts of the body especially lower limbs and testicles. Using the specific primer pair the gene sequence encoding the A-type inclusion protein (ATIP) was amplified with a PCR product size specific for the camel pox virus as 881 bp.On the basis of epidemiological observations, clinical signs and typical pox lesions developed in camels the disease was diagnosed as Camel pox. The virus was confirmed by PCR.
