Yeast Flora in the Nasal Cavity of Apparently Normal Camels

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify yeasts in thenasal cavities of apparently healthy camels. Hundred apparently healthy camels of different ages,40 fromthe Camel Research Centre,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,University of Khartoum at Shambat,25 fromthe Camels inthe Research Station at Tamboul and 35 fromcamels brought for slaughter to Tamboul marketabout 150kilometers south east of Khartoum. Sampling was done during the period fromJanuary to March(2011). Nasal swabs were streaked on SabouraudsDextrose Agar supplemented with 0.5%chloramphenicol.Isolates were identified and classified according to their microscopic appearance and biochemical reactions. The results were confirmedby Vitek2 Compact System. Out of the 100 samples, yeasts were isolated in pure cultures from 44 samples. Thirty five of theisolates belonged to genusCryptococcus and were grouped into 3species; Cryptococcus albidus26(59.1%),Cryptococcus laurentii6(13.6%)andCryptococcus terreus3(6.8%) andNine(20.5%) of the isolates wereunidentified black yeasts. Cryptococcus albidusand Cryptococcus laurentiiarepotential pathogens and may cause systemic diseases in man and animal, but Cryptococcus terreusis not known to be a pathogen