Haemoprotozoan parasites of camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Northwestern Nigeria

Camels are becoming increasingly important in northern Nigeria, both as work animals and source of protein for humans. Haemoparasitic infections constitute a threat to health and productivity of camels leading to economic losses. A crosssectional study was conducted on blood samples of 600 camels from northwestern Nigeria to determine the prevalence of haemoparasites. Blood samples from apparently healthy camels slaughtered for human consumption in Kano and Katsina abattoirs were screened for haemoparasites by parasitological method. Four haemoparasite genera and their prevalence which include, Babesia (0.3% vs 0.3%), Anaplasma (1.0% vs 1.3%), Theileria (3.0% vs 0.3%) and Trypanosoma (6.3% vs 4.3%) of veterinary importance were detected in Katsina and Kano states respectively. Haemoparasites overall prevalence of 6.3% and 10.6% were also recorded for Kano and Katsina states, respectively. Infection due to Trypanosoma sp. was more prevalent in the two study areas. Overall, there was no association between haemoparasites prevalence, age, sex, season and body condition of camels. This study emphasizes periodic evaluation of parasitic infections of camels taking into consideration risk factors and public health importance associated with camels.