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Issue 1; April 1999
Contents:
1. Editorial
2. Camel Myasis a killer disease
3. Animal Disease Surveillance System established in Somalia
4. Peste de Pete Ruminants (PPR) suspected in Somalia
5. No Rift Valley Fever in Somalia. The ban unjustifiable...!
6. Coming Events.
Editorial
Somalia, that war-torn country of the horn of Africa, is rich in many diverse natural resources. Approximately 50 million heads of different species of domestic animals, wide cultivable virgin land with two perpetual rivers and the longest coast in Africa are qualities which are rare in many parts of the world.
Unfortunately these resources haven't had the due concideration. The self inflicted human problems have overwhelmed the animals' and rendered question about Somali livestock needless. The nascent Somali Veterinary Association (SVA) has conceived that, it is the time to rectify these errors, it is the time to do some thing to better the situation of the livestock.
This quarterly bulletin is published by SVA to unveil the obscure situation of animal health status in Somalia and to have a forum through which it can communicate with the world community, particularly the neighboring countries and involved international organization with which bilateral cooperation is of mutual interest.
Dr. Mohamed A. Sheikh Ali
Camel Myasis a Killer Disease
"Roor" in Somali is the name given to an emergent disease sparsely known in central Somalia for the last 20 years. The English synonym of the word is "Hyperactive" and has a deducible meaning of madness.
The cause of the syndrome is larvae of a fly accumulating in large numbers in the nasal cavity. Each larva is about 0.5-2 cm long and about 0.5 cm wide. They are yellowish white, and have ridges and spikes across the body.
The concept that a fly may deposit larvae on the nostrils is yet to be conceived by the owners as well as many vets and the disease is frequently reported as worm infestation.
Many Drugs including Ivermectin, Albendazole, and Rafoxnide have so far been tried without result at all. Insecticides directly sprayed on the larvae by uneducated nomads, could only comatose them for several minutes after which they moved vividly.
Although "Sangaalle" (Larva in the nasal cavity of the camel) was known in Somalia for long time, never has it created any health hazard for the herd. In the last few years however, it has turned into a serious problem and become a killer disease. In some visited areas, an average infestation rate of 30% of herds and 8% of each herd was recorded. According to some owners, the case fatality rate of the disease is 100%. In fact, they slaughter the infested animal before it is emaciated. This event is perhaps an epidemiological important factor which may lead to the contamination of the environment and contribute in the propagation of the disease.
This epidemic is currently confined in central Somalia regions of Galgadud and Mudug, but, it is rapidly spreading to other parts of the country. The disease deserves a campaign like the one launched for control the Screw Worm epidemic in North Africa, but, apparently no such a project will be feasible in Somalia.
A film on the disease was recorded by Mr. Mohamud Jama of the Horizon Foundation.
By: Dr. M. A. Sheikh Ali & Mr. Mohamud Jama.
Animal Disease Surveillance System Established in Somalia
Since 1990 Somalia is lacking governmental institutions, civil services are interrupted and veterinary service is forgotten. In this situation the livestock, the unparalleled wealth of the country is in havoc and is feared to extinct.
Disease surveillance is the milestone of all disease control programs. Early recognition of an event will arise early reaction, and certainly a reduction in the magnitude of the problem or its control, where possible.
Although controlling an animal disease in the current Somalia is not a contemporary issue, yet, establishment of a system for animal disease surveillance, was of immense importance. Controlling a phenomenon like an animal disease is inaccessible, unless regional and some times, global collaboration is activated. In this context, a disease surveillance system in Somalia will at least be of great value to circumvent the potential hazard that the obscure animal health status in Somalia constitutes to the ongoing disease control programs in the neighboring countries.
It has therefore been necessary to think on ways of improving the situation. A reasonable animal disease surveillance system was evolved by a support from
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