Israel Medical Association Journal

Objectives: To study the anti-infectious action of camel milk.

Methods: Fifty mice were divided into 5 groups of 10 animals each: 3 control groups and 2 test groups. Except for one of the control groups, all groups were intraperitoneally inoculated with a strain of Salmonella enterica. The rations in the test groups were supplemented with camel milk or cow milk.

Results: A statistically significant survival was observed in the mice supplemented with camel milk. The death rate after Salmonella inoculation was only 40% in the study group, as compared to 100% in the control groups where the mice were not protected, and 80% in the group supplemented with cow milk and injected with Salmonella.

Conclusions: Camel milk is an excellent nutrient and because of its specific properties, particularly its anti-infectious action, should be used to replace other milks.

Background: Human brucellosis is common in southern Israel among the semi-nomadic Bedouin, a population that consumes unpasteurized dairy products. Though camel milk ingestion is a known mechanism for brucellosis acquisition, only a few reports of sporadic cases have been published in the medical literature.

Objectives: To describe a local brucellosis outbreak in 15 extended Bedouin family members, following ingestion of infected camel milk.

Methods: Data regarding patient’s clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, treatment and outcome were collected from the hospital and the health fund clinics’ computerized database. Camel’s blood and milk were tested for Brucella serology and culture. Cases were defined by positive Rose Bengal test, symptoms correlating with brucellosis, and consumption of infected camel milk.

Results: Fifteen patients were diagnosed with acute brucellosis from March to June 2011. Sixty percent of cases had serum agglutination test titers of 1:160 or higher and 4/8 (50%) had positive blood culture for Brucella melitensis. Arthralgia and fever were the most consistent clinical manifestations. Blood and milk serology and milk culture taken from the female camel were positive for Brucella melitensis.

Conclusions: The treating physicians must consider the possibility of infected camel milk ingestion as the mode of infection, both in sporadic cases and in outbreaks of brucellosis.

Background: Food allergies in children are often very serious and can lead to anaphylactic reactions. Observations that camel milk ameliorates allergic reactions were noted over the years. The effect of the camel milk is probably related to its special composition.

Objectives: To investigate the effect of camel milk in several children with severe food (mainly milk) allergies.

Methods: We studied eight children with food allergies who did not benefit from conventional treatment. Their parents, or their physicians, decided to try camel milk as a last resort. The parents were advised by the authors – who have considerable experience with the use of camel milk – regarding how much and when the children should drink the milk. The parents reported daily on the progress of their children.

Results: All eight children in this study reacted well to the milk and recovered fully from their allergies.

Conclusions: These encouraging results should be validated by large-scale clinical trials.