Download Heart Water

Heart Water
Disease Name: Heart Water
Species Affected: Bovine, Ovine and Caprine.
About the Disease:
Heartwater is an infectious, noncontagious, tick-borne disease of domestic and wild ruminantsand usually
an acute disease and is commonly fatal within a week of onset of clinical signs.It occurs where its tick
vectors are present.The disease is widespread in most of Africa and is present onseveral islands in the
West Indies.This disease is an OIE Reportable Disease as in the Multiple Species Disease
Category.Heartwater disease causes severe disease in cattle, sheep, goats and water Buffalo.
Animals Affected:
Cattle, sheep, goats, antelope and buffalo are mostly affected. Goats and sheep are more at riskfrom
heartwater than cattle.
Cause:
The disease is caused by an intracellular rickettsial parasite, Ehrlichiaruminantiu (formerly
Cowdriaruminantium), and is transmitted by infected ticks in the genus Amblyomma and
commonly causes death of infected animals.
Source of infection:
Animals become infected with heartwater after being bitten by an infected tick (vector). Ticks from the
family Amblyomma are responsible for the spread of the disease.
Symptoms:
1.
2.
3.
4.
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7.
Sudden Fever (40◦C or higher)
Nervous signs
Nervous signs are more obvious in cattle than in sheep and goats
Unusual behavior like walking into fences, circling, falling down,chewing movements.
Slight tapping of the forehead with a finger causes blinking
Convulsions and
Death
Control and Management:
1. Preventative measures for heartwater include implementation of an effective tick control program
using acaricides.
2. Regular inspection of animals and pastures for ticks.
3. Animals must be treated quickly when signs of disease are noted, or they may die.
4. Restriction of animal movement.
Vaccines:
There are no commercially available vaccines for heartwater.
Meteorological Occurrence:
The disease is most likely favour after good rains and chances of getting infection is more when
favourable weather condition for breeding of ticks.
Prepared by:
Dr. Peter N
JRF, NADRS, Manipur.
Disease Investigatory Laboratory
Directorate of Veterinary, & A.H. Services,
Manipur