A disease characterized by emaciation, pica, lameness and liability to fracture in bactrian camelfrom gravel desert pasture was described. Analyses of mineral elements in soil, water and forage from the af-fected and normal areas as well as in blood, hair and parts of tissues from normal and diseased camel, togetherwith a pathological study were carried out to define the nature and major causes of the disease. The relatedblood indices were also measured. The result indicated that copper and phosphorus in the soil and forage fromthe affected area were significantly lower than those of the normal area (P＜0.01). The levels of phosphorusin the blood, hair and rib reduced significantly in affected camels. The concentrations of PTH, T3, T4, creat-inine(Crt) and the activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in serum rosemarkedly (P＜0.01). Bone injury was characterized by osteoporosis. The degenerative and necrotic lesions ofliver and kidney were common. In addition, slight demylination of brains and spinal cords were showed byhistopathological and ultrastructural studies. It is concluded that the disease is caused mainly by phosphorusdeficiency in the food chain.
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