Camel Pox

Selected content from the Animal Health and Production Compendium (© CAB International 2013). Distributed under license by African Union – Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources.

Whilst this information is provided by experts, we advise that users seek veterinary advice where appropriate and check OIE manuals for recent changes to regulations, diagnostic tests, vaccines and treatments.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

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Identity    Pathogen/s    Overview    Distribution Map for Africa    Distribution Table for Africa    Host Animals    References    Links to Websites    OIE Reference Experts and Laboratories

 Identity

Preferred Scientific Name
camel pox
International Common Names
English
camelpox

 Pathogen/s

camelpox virus

Overview

Camel pox is normally a fairly benign disease of camels. The signs include fever, facial oedema, pocks on the mucosa of the lips and lesions on the teats. Vesicles, then pustules form on the lips of affected animals, crust formation follows and the scabs eventually fall off. Young camels sometimes suffer generalized infection in which pocks form throughout the body and death may result.

Diagnosis is usually based on clinical findings. Differential diagnosis should consider sarcoptic mange and contagious ecthyma. Virus may be easily isolated from lesion scrapings. Crusts and scrapings should be analyzed by electron microscopy, virus isolation and the examination for mange mites. Affected tissue samples in 10% formalin should also be subjected to histopathological examination for intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies (www-infocris.iaea.org). A commercial vaccine for camel pox is available.

Camel pox is a zoonosis and has been classified as a biohazardous agent.

Distribution Map for Africa

Distribution Map for Africa

= Present, no further details    = Widespread    = Localised
= Confined and subject to quarantine    = Occasional or few reports
= Evidence of pathogen    = Last reported...    = Presence unconfirmed

 Distribution Table for Africa

The distribution in this summary table is based on all the information available. When several references are cited, they may give conflicting information on the status. Further information for individual references may be available in the Animal Health and Production Compendium. A table for worldwide distribution can also be found in the Animal Health and Production Compendium.

Host Animals

References

African Union-Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources, 2011. Panafrican Animal Health Yearbook 2011. Pan African Animal Health Yearbook, 2011:xiii + 90 pp. http://www.au-ibar.org/pan-african-animal-health-yearbook

Bera BC, Shanmugasundaram K, Sanjay Barua, Venkatesan G, Nitin Virmani, Riyesh T, Gulati BR, Bhanuprakash V, Vaid RK, Kakker NK, Malik P, Manish Bansal, Gadvi S, Singh RV, Yadav V, Sardarilal, Nagarajan G, Balamurugan V, Hosamani M, Pathak KML, Singha RK, 2011. Zoonotic cases of camelpox infection in India. Veterinary Microbiology, 152(1/2):29-38. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03781135

Coetzer JAW, 2004. Poxviridae. In: Infectious Diseases of Livestock, 2 [ed. by Coetzer, J. A. W. \Tustin, R. C.]., Southern Africa: Oxford University Press, 1265-1267 pp.

Davies FG, Mungai JN, Shaw T, 1975. Characteristics of a Kenyan camelpox virus. Journal of Hygiene, 75(3):381-385.

Kritz B, 1982. A study of camelpox in Somalia. Journal of Comparative Pathology, 92:1-8.

OIE, 2009. World Animal Health Information Database - Version: 1.4. World Animal Health Information Database. Paris, France: World Organisation for Animal Health. http://www.oie.int

OIE, 2012. World Animal Health Information Database. Version 2. World Animal Health Information Database. Paris, France: World Organisation for Animal Health. http://www.oie.int/wahis_2/public/wahid.php/Wahidhome/Home

Pfeffer M, Neubauer H, Wernery U, Kaaden OR, Meyer H, 1998. Fatal form of camelpox virus infection. Veterinary Journal, 155(1):107-109.

Pfeffer M, Wernery U, Kaaden OR, Meyer H, 1998. Diagnostic procedures for poxvirus infections in camelids. Journal of Camel Practice and Research, 5(2):189-195.

Veerakyathappa Bhanuprakash, Manimuthu Prabhu, Gnanavel Venkatesan, Vinayagamurthy Balamurugan, Madhusudan Hosamani, Pathak KML, Singh RK, 2010. Camelpox: epidemiology, diagnosis and control measures. Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy, 8(10):1187-1201. http://www.expert-reviews.com/doi/abs/10.1586/eri.10.105

Wernery U, Kaaden OR, 2002. Camel pox. In: Infectious Diseases in Camelids, Second Edition [ed. by Wernery, U. \Kaaden, O. R.]. Vienna, Austria: Blackwell Science Berlin, 176-185 pp.

Wernery U, Kaaden OR, Ali M, 1997. Orthopox virus infections in dromedary camels in United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) during winter season. Journal of Camel Practice and Research, 4(1):51-55.

Wernery U, Meyer H, Pfeffer M, 1997. Camel pox in the United Arab Emirates and its prevention. In: Journal of Camel Practice and Research, 4(2). 135-139.

Links to Websites

• CFSPH: Animal Disease Information

  "Animal Disease Information" provides links to various information sources, including fact sheets and images, on over 150 animal diseases of international significance.

• OIE Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals

  The Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals (Terrestrial Manual) aims to facilitate international trade in animals and animal products and to contribute to the improvement of animal health services world-wide. The principal target readership is laboratories carrying out veterinary diagnostic tests and surveillance, plus vaccine manufacturers and regulatory authorities in Member Countries. The objective is to provide internationally agreed diagnostic laboratory methods and requirements for the production and control of vaccines and other biological products.

OIE Reference Experts and Laboratories

(OIE Reference Experts and Laboratories, accessed 30 May 2013)

Prof. Ulrich Wernery
Central Veterinary Research Laboratory
P.O. Box 597
Dubai
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Tel: +971-4 337.51.65 Fax: +971-4 336.86.38
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Date of report: 30/05/2013

© CAB International 2013. Distributed under license by African Union – Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.