Klebsiella pneumonia: A commensal and cause of septicaemia in camel calves (Camelus dromedarius)

This paper highlights the aetiological involvement of Klebsiella pneumoniae in septicaemia of suckling camel calves in Kenya. Over a period of 22 months deaths and intestinal K. pneumoniae carrier rates were monitored in calves aged from birth to 12 weeks. The same number of calf deaths was caused by K. pneumoniae and by Salmonella sp.., while none could be attributed to Escherichia coli. Klebsiella pneumoniae was isolated from the intestines of healthy and diseased camel calves at frequencies of up to 100% (pastoralist herds) and 50% (ranch herds) respectively. The following K. pneumoniae capsular types were identified in camel calves: K2, K3, K5, K11, K13, K16, K26, K28, K31, K34, K36, K38, K54, K55, K60, K61, K64 and K81.