ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF MAJOR BACTERIAL AND FUNGAL PATHOGENS FROM CAMEL MASTITIS IN ARERO AND GOMOLE PASTORAL DISTRICTS OF BORANA ZONE, SOUTHERN OROMIYA, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Camel mastitis is considered as one of the main constraints for camel rearing pastoralists and control of camel mastitis becomes the most challenging task. A cross-sectional study design was conducted from June 2022 to January 2023 in two selected districts of the Borana zone (Arero and Gomole), Oromia Regional state, Ethiopia. The purpose of this study was to isolate and identify selected bacterial and fungal pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus and to determine the antibiotic sensitivity patterns of the isolated bacterial pathogens. For this study, 360 raw milk samples were collected, using cluster sampling technique. Moreover, questionnaire survey was conducted on 110 pastoral communities in the two-camel rearing districts that were selected purposively. Subclinical mastitis was diagnosed by using California Mastitis Test reagent and different bio- chemical tests were used to identify bacteria. The study results reveled that overall prevalence of mastitis at udder and quarter level was 42.2% (152/360) and 40.5% (522/1,228), respectively. Of the total camel mastitis prevalence, 12.2% (44/360) were clinical and 30% (108/360) of them were subclinical mastitis. Among 360 camels examined, 12.5% (51/360) quarters were blind. The highest prevalent bacteria were found to be S. aureus 23% (83/360), followed by E. coli 11% (40/360) from suspected cultured milk samples. Laboratory investigation for fungal pathogen was 4% (16/360) and 6.4% (23/360) for Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus, respectively. Among ten anti-biotics in-vitro test, S. aureus isolates were sensitive to gentamicin, and chloramphenicol but resistance to tetracycline and E. coli was sensitive to chloramphenicol and streptomycin but showed resistance to gentamicin. The study result revealed that udder lesion, blind teat, tick infestation, parity, age, stage of lactation and body condition, were found to be a risk factors related with camel mastitis. The isolation of these camel mastitis bacterial and fungal species revealed unhygienic milking procedure, and unappropriated camel mastitis treatment. Therefore, milkers should be aware on proper hygienic milking methods, and there should be regular investigation of mastitis especially sub clinical form. Mastitis treatments should be done properly by professionals and preceded with identification of the causative agent and susceptibility test profile of pathogens