Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 63:159-170 ( 1996) Heartwater in sheep and goats: a review

Heartwater (cowdriosis) is an important, often fatal, tick-borne disease of domestic and wild ruminants in sub-Saharan Africa and some Indian Ocean and Caribbean islands. The causal agent, Cowdria ruminantium (Cowdry 1925), is a rickettsia closely related to members of the genus Ehrlichia, and is probably a part of a complex of genomic species. Imported breeds of sheep and goats (especially Angoras) are highly susceptible, but indigenous populations of endemic areas may be resistant to in-fection. Very young stock (less than 9 d old) possess a natural resistance that is unrelated to the im-mune status of the dams. Symptoms of heartwater vary, but usually begin with fever and may involve neurological signs and respiratory distress. Clinical diagnosis is based on symptoms, history of tick-exposure and post-mortem findings, and is confirmed by demonstration of characteristic rickettsial organisms in vascular endothelial cells. Laboratory diagnosis is retrospective and includes fluorescent antibody and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Serological tests are compromised by non-spe-cific reactions with certain Ehrlichia spp. DNA and oligonucleotide probes have been developed, but are thus far unavailable in many countries affected by heartwater. Treatment with tetracyclines is effec-tive if begun in the early stages of infection. Control is based on a knowledge of the disease cycle in nature, and is achieved through judicious tick control, vaccination or both. A virulent, blood-based vac-cine is available. Existence of a carrier state in recovered animals, including wild ruminants, compli-cates control efforts, and eradication is feas ible only in circumscribed foci. Problem areas in fundamental and applied research on heartwater, as it affects sheep and goats, are discussed