Fatal neonatal infection with Klebsiella pneumoniae in dromedary camels: pathology and molecular identification of isolates from four cases

Abstract

In the present study, sudden mortalities were reported due to pneumonia in four neonatal camels (5 to 10 days old) of an organized dromedary camel farm. The clinicalmanifestations in affected camels were weakness, mild to high fever, not suckling, respiratory distress, and sudden death. On the basis of gross and histopathological lesions, the pneumonia was classified into bronchopneumonia (n = 2), bronchointerstitial pneumonia (n = 1), and interstitial pneumonia (n = 1). In bacterial culture, Klebsiella pneumoniae was isolated from lung of all the four cases. These bacteria were also confirmed by PCR from DNA isolated from culture as well as lung tissue. The sequencing of PCR products from four isolates of K. pneumoniae revealed homology with other pathogenic K. pneumoniae isolates from India and other countries. These findings confirmed the role of K. pneumoniae as an important etiological agent for causing pneumonia with sudden mortalities in suckling neonatal dromedary camels.