Clinical and epizootiological features of camelpox in Eastern Sudan

Thirty-five outbreaks of camelpox were reported in Eastern Sudan between 1992 and 1994. The disease is economically important and found to be endemic in Eastern Sudan. It occurred in epizootics that lasted for 2 to 5 months with higher prevalence in winter months of the year. The morbidity and mortality rates were 9 and 1.2%, respectively while the case of fatality rate was 14%. Most of affected animals were immature, less than 5 years of age with a mean age of 2.7 years. All the deaths occurred in young animals less than 3 years with a mean age of 1.7 years. The disease spreads mainly by direct contact with sick animals particularly at watering places. It appeared in varying degrees of severity depending on the age of the animals. Clinical findings included fever, oedema of face and legs, lymph node enlargement and appearance of generalised or localised pox lesions which was particularly seen on head, neck, leg and abdomen. The course of the disease ranged between 15 to 30 days and occasionally extended up to 4 months.