HEARTWATER

Another Potential Foreign Animal Disease

Prepared by :
Monoclonal Antibody Section,
Veterinary Research Institute (VRI)

a.k.a COWDRIOSIS, is non-zoonotic disease but often
acute, fatal, infectious and tick-borne (Amblyomma ticks)
rickettsial on ruminants.
caused by bacteria Ehrlichia ruminantium (Dumler, 2001).
widespread in most of Africa, also found on a few
Caribbean islands and threatening the American mainland.
However, no case reported in Asia regions yet (OIE, 2010).
can cause high mortality (up to 90%) in susceptible wild
and domestic ruminants (cattle, sheep, goats, antelope and
buffalo) esp. young animals and non-native breeds








INTRODUCTION
Goats and sheep are more susceptible than cattle, and European breeds are generally more susceptible than
indigenous African breeds.


Amblyomma ticks
Goat Sheep Cattle
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
According to OIE 2010, no case for this disease ever reported in Southest Asia (including Malaysia)
CLINICAL SIGNS
caused by an increased vascular permeability and consequent oedema and
hypovolaemia.
symptoms include neurological signs such as tremors and head pressing,
respiratory signs such as coughing and nasal discharge, and systemic signs such as
fever and loss of appetite.
high death rates in acute stage without many clinical manifestations while in the
higher recovery rate in peracute stage.
physical examination may reveal petechiae of the mucous membranes, tachycardia
and muffled heart sounds.











EXTRA INFO:
can also cause reproductive and gastrointestinal disease.
recovered animals become carriers of infection
certain wild animals can play a role as reservoir




fever and loss of appetite coughing and nasal discharge oedema and hypovolaemiaa
DIAGNOSIS
(POST-MORTEM EXAMINATION)
Light yellow transudate within the thorax, pericardium and
abdomen.
Pulmonary oedema and mucosal congestion are regularly
seen along with frothy fluid in the airways and cut surfaces of
the lungs.
Hydropericardium, hydrothorax and lung oedema are
commonly associated post-mortem signs.

Histopathological identification of Ehrlichia ruminantium:
by preparing the hippocampus under Giemsa staining or by
Histopathology (brain/kidney).

stained Ehrlichia ruminantium
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
(OIE Terrestrial Manual)
1. Identification of the agent (Isolation of Ehrlichia ruminantium )
a) using in-vitro culture
b) using in-vivo culture

2. Molecular methods (detection of Ehrlichia ruminantium )
a) using DNA probes
b) using PCR and nested PCR
c) using the reverse line blot technique
d) using real-time PCR

3. Serological tests
a) IFAT with infected endothelial cell tissue culture as
antigen (CIFA test)
b) MAP1-B enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
c) MAP1 competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent
assay
Bacterial Isolation
Fluorecense Test
ELISA
TREATMENT AND CONTROL
TREATMENT
During the early stages, animals may be treated with
sulfonamides and tetracyclines.
In advanced disease, prognosis is poor.

CONTROL
Tetracyclines can also be used prophylactically when animals
are introduced into an area endemic with cowdriosis.
A live blood vaccine is available for protection of young stock,
but animals may require treatment for the disease post-
vaccination.
Ectoparasiticides dips such as Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) and
Hyalomma species will contribute to control of vectors of
Ehrlichia ruminantium.

REFERENCES
1. Dumler JS, Barbet AF, Bekker CP, et al. (2001). "Reorganization of genera in the
families Rickettsiaceae and Anaplasmataceae in the order Rickettsiales: unification
of some species of Ehrlichia with Anaplasma, Cowdria with Ehrlichia and Ehrlichia
with Neorickettsia, descriptions of six new species combinations and designation of
Ehrlichia equi and 'HGE agent' as subjective synonyms of Ehrlichia phagocytophila".
Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 51 (Pt 6): 214565. doi:10.1099/00207713-51-6-2145.
PMID 11760958.
2. http://www.ebi.ac.uk/2can/genomes/bacteria/Ehrlichia_ruminantium.html
3. "Heartwater". Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. U.S. Department of
Agriculture. Retrieved 2008-04-13.
4. C H A P T E R 2 . 1 . 6 . HEARTWATER. OIE Terrestrial Manual (2008).
5. CFSPH Technical Fact Sheets. Heartwater at http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/
DiseaseInfo/
6. Heartwater: Another Potential Foreign Animal Disease. http://www.vetmed.
ucdavis.edu/vetext/INF-DA/INF-DA_HEARTWATER.HTML
7. USDA APHIS factsheet. Heartwater. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/
pubs/fsheet_faq_notice/fs_ahheartw.html
Prepared by :
Monoclonal Antibody Section,
Veterinary Research Institute (VRI)