Camel viral diseases: Current diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive strategies

Abstract

Many pathogenic viruses infect camels, generally regarded as especially hardy livestock because of their ability to thrive in harsh and arid conditions. Transmission of these viruses has been facilitated by the commercialization of camel milk and meat and their byproducts, and vaccines are needed to prevent viruses from spreading. There is a paucity of information on the effectiveness of viral immunizations in camels, even though numerous studies have looked into the topic. More research is needed to create effective vaccines and treatments for camels. Because Camels are carriers of coronavirus, capable of producing a powerful immune response to recurrent coronavirus infections. As a result, camels may be a suitable model for viral vaccine trials since vaccines are simple to create and can prevent viral infection transfer from animals to humans. In this review, we present available data on the diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventative strategies for the following viral diseases in camels, most of which result in significant economic loss: camelpox, Rift Valley fever, peste des petits ruminants, bovine viral diarrhea, bluetongue, rotavirus, Middle East respiratory syndrome, and COVID-19. Although suitable vaccines have been developed for controlling viral infections and perhaps interrupting the transmission of the virus from the affected animals to blood-feeding vectors, there is a paucity of information on the effectiveness of viral immunizations in camels and more research is needed. Recent therapeutic trials that include specific antivirals or supportive care have helped manage viral infections.

Pockenvirusinfektionen in der Dermatologie

“…Kamelpocken gehören zu den häufigsten viralen Infektionskrankheiten bei Kamelen. 164 Sie galten bis 2009 als wirtsspezifisch für die Gattung Camelus (C.) dromedarius und C. bactrianus), bis dann die ersten Fälle von Kamelpocken beim Menschen in Indien festgestellt wurden. 165,166 Die zoonotische Übertragung betrifft in der Regel Kamelhalter und -züchter und kann durch Kontakt mit infizierter Haut, aber auch durch Speichel, Milch, Augen-oder Nasensekret infizierter Kamele erfolgen.…”

Poxvirus infections in dermatology – the neglected, the notable, and the notorious

“…The natural reservoir are Old World camelids living in semi‐/arid regions of the African and Asian continent. Camelpox is among the most frequent viral infectious disease of camels 164 and was considered genus‐specific for Camelus ( C. dromedarius and C. bactrianus ) until 2009, when the first cases of human camelpox were detected in India 165,166 . Zoonotic spillover usually affects camel rearers and breeders and may be due to contact to skin eruptions, but also saliva, milk, ocular, or nasal secretions of infected camels 167 .…”

Detection of viral antibodies in camel sera using magnetic particle spectroscopy

“…Special antibodies of camels, which are the basis for the so-called nanobodies, differ from those of other mammals, because they lack the light chains in the structure, they are smaller and more stable, and penetrate deep into infected tissue (Al-Numair et al 2022 ). Camel antibodies cause a strong immunogenic response and neutralize a wide range of viral antigens effectively (Kandeel and Al-Mubarak 2022 ). The blood serum of camels is also used in human medicine, for example, to obtain highly effective antidotes from it (El-Fakharany et al 2012 ).…”

“…Thus, the animals are a favorable intermediate host for some viruses, which makes dromedary husbandry a relevant risk factor for zoonotic disease transmission (Zhu et al 2019 ). In the last decades, some significant zoonotic diseases have been caused by corona viruses (Fung et al 2021 ) and camels are reservoirs and carriers of various coronavirus strains (Kandeel and Al-Mubarak 2022 ). During the outbreak of MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) in 2012, the dromedary was identified as the intermediate host from which the spillover of the virus to humans originated (Zhu et al 2019 ).…”

“…Hence, the growing trade of camels and camel products further enhances the risk of virus transmission to humans and other animals. Due to the lack of effective vaccines against relevant viral diseases for camels, early detection of antibodies is an important parameter to prevent the spread of zoonotic epidemics (Kandeel and Al-Mubarak 2022 ). Currently, screening for antibodies against certain infections, especially viral infections in large animal and human populations, is done in laboratories using immunochemical methods that are expensive and, above all, time-consuming.…”