Development of New Strategy for Non-Antibiotic Therapy: Dromedary Camel Lactoferrin Has a Potent Antimicrobial and Immunomodulator Effects

The human and bovine lactoferrin have been studied extensively, but very few reports have been published concerning camel lactoferrin (cLf). The present study aimed to isolate cLf and evaluate its efficiency including antimicrobial activity and immunomodulator effects. cLf isolation was attempted from camel milk whey using a cation exchange chromatography by SP-Sepharose. The antimicrobial activity of the isolated cLf was investigated against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Streptococcus agalactiae (S. agalactiae), Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aerogenosa) strains. The immune effect of cLf was studied by lymphocyte transformation test. It was found that cLf was separated around molecular weight of 80 kDa and showed significant inhibitory effect against E. coli followed by P. aeruginosa, S. agalactiae and S. aureus. cLf increased lymphocyte transformations mean values in a dose dependant manner. The highest transformations mean value was determined at 50 μg/mL. In conclusion, these results suggest that cLf is a potent natural antimicrobial and novel immunomodulator agent.

A Paucity of Detection of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) Nucleic Acids in the Vaginal Secretions and the Urine of Some Naturally Infected Dromedary Camels

The dromedary camels play some critical roles in the evolution and transmission cycle of the MERS-CoV. There are no current available vaccines or antiviral medications to do prevention or to treat humans against the virus, respectively. Few studies reported the course of the MERS-CoV infection in dromedary camels under both the experiment and natural infection approaches. The curve of the viral particle, as well as its nucleic acids in nasal secretions of the dromedary camels, was reported in more details. However, MERS-CoV shedding in some other secretions such as vaginal secretions still understudied. The main goal of the current study was to check the possibility of MERS-CoV shedding of the MERS-CoV through the vaginal mucous membranes of some female camels. To achieve these goals, we conducted molecular surveillance on one dromedary camel herd in eastern Saudi Arabia. We collected the following swabs per each animal (nasal, rectal, and vaginal) as well as urine samples during the period from Jan 2020-April 2020. Testing of MERS-CoV nucleic acid (NA) was conducted in these swabs by the real-time PCR kits. Our results are showing that (47%, 21%, 0%, and 0%) of the (nasal, rectal, and vaginal) swabs, as well as the urine, were positive, respectively. All the tested vaginal swabs were negative. This may suggest the absence of MERS-CoV shedding in the female genital tract and urine samples despite the detection of the viral NA in the nasal swabs. This study is showing for the first time the failure of detection of the MERS-CoV in the vaginal secretions of some naturally infected dromedary camels. This result is enriching our understanding of the MERS-CoV shedding in various body secretions and excretions.

Life cycle and morphology of development stages of Physocephalus dromedarii (Nematoda: Spirocercidae)

Objective: To study the development of Physocephalus dromedarii(P. dromedarii) in the final host.Methods: For this, 5 adult dromedaries were orally infected with third larval stages of P. dromedarii obtained from naturally infected scarab beetles(Scarabaeus cristatus). The camels were necropsied 14, 42, 70, 84 and 280 days after infection and their abomasi were examined for the presence of nematodes.Results: Early 4th stage larva occurred already 2 weeks after infection. They were still in the sheet of the 3rd stage larva. Six weeks after infection, the nematodes became juvenile male and female adults measuring 9 and 10 mm, respectively. Their size doubled at 10 weeks post infection and patency was reached at 12 weeks. P. dromedarii was still present in the camel that was examined 40 weeks after infection.Conclusions: As a result of experimental infection of the natural host, the determined prepatent period of P. dromedarii equalled 12 weeks.

Gross and Microscopic Lesions of the Ovaries of Camels from Abattoirs in Eastern Province of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

In the present investigation, gross and microscopic lesions of the ovaries were studied in two hundred and ten (210) adult non-pregnant she-camels. Fresh samples of ovaries were collected from she-camels at the point of slaughter in Al-Ahsa abattoir, Eastern region of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These samples were subjected to histopathological studies and stained by routine Hematoxylin and Eosin stain. Grossly, of the 210 ovarian tissues examined, 30 (14.28%) had ovarian lesions of one type or another, whereas 180 (85.71%) camels were apparently healthy. Only 6 (2.85%) ovaries showed unilateral ovarian hypoplasia, whereas 4 (1.9%) showed bilateral ovarian hypoplasia. Cystic ovaries were observed in a total of 13 of the collected samples of ovaries, of these 8 (3.8%) were diagnosed as follicular cystic ovaries, while 5 (2.38%) were luteal cystic ovaries. Ovarian abscess appeared in only one sample of the collected ovaries. While ovarian tumors were observed in a total of 6 of the collected samples distributed as, two fibromas, three dermoid cysts, and only one hemangioma. The present study indicates that follicular cysts, luteal cysts and ovarian hypoplasia were the most common ovarian disorders in non-pregnant she-camels in Al-Ahsa region of the Eastern Province of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Evaluation of a Rapid Immunochromatographic Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Antigen Detection Assay

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus(MERS-CoV)infection in humans has a high mortality of>30%.Dromedaries are the reservoir of MERS-CoV and the main source of human infections.However,MERS-CoV infections in dromedaries are usually subclinical.Rapid diagnosis of MERS-CoV infection in these animals is important in preventing camel-to-human transmission of the virus.The possible cross-reactivity of a previously reported rapid nucleocapsid protein-based antigen detection assay for MERS-CoV was examined with different CoVs,including Tylonycteris bat CoV HKU4,dromedary camel CoV UAE-HKU23,human CoV-229E,human CoV-OC43,severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV-2 and rabbit CoV HKU14,where none of them showed false-positive results.The assay was further validated using quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction-confirmed MERS-CoV-positive and MERS-CoV-negative dromedary nasal samples collected in Dubai,the United Arab Emirates,which showed that the rapid antigen detection assay has a specificity of 100%and sensitivity of 91.7%.