Ben Guerdane: Massive veterinary intervention to save 1,000 camels from mange

A large-scale veterinary intervention is underway in Ben Guerdane, Tunisia, to combat a severe outbreak of sarcoptic mange affecting an estimated 1,000 camels. The Regional Commissioner for Agricultural Development (CRDA) in Médenine has deployed seven mobile brigades to the El Waâra pastoral zone to address the critical proliferation of this highly contagious parasitic skin disease.

Veterinary services are implementing a rigorous 'shock treatment' protocol. This involves administering both systemic antiparasitic injections and topical treatments directly to the camels' skin. The combined strategy aims to eradicate the mites responsible for the mange and establish a preventive biological barrier against other ectoparasites that threaten this vital animal sector for the region's rural economy.

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The camels counted received emergency treatment and immunization against a critical proliferation of camel mange, a highly contagious parasitic condition that erodes the animals' skin.

Beyond direct treatment, the brigades are providing crucial technical guidance to local herders. Specialists are emphasizing the importance of sanitation in the animals' immediate environment, maintaining constant vigilance, isolating any animals showing early signs of skin deterioration, and strictly prohibiting uncontrolled gatherings. Epidemiological analysis suggests that a shift from traditional nomadic herding to less supervised, extensive farming practices may be hindering early detection of infections, as animals increasingly congregate independently at watering points.

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The progressive shift from traditional pastoral nomadism to an unsupervised extensive breeding system, where owners distance themselves from their animals and do not monitor them daily, delays the early detection of the first infection hotspots.