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The historical background and global importance of heartwater
1Institut d'Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Mainsons-Alfort, France.
Insights
Heartwater, a significant tick-borne disease in Africa, has impacted livestock since 1838. Its control is crucial for improving local breeds and preventing spread to new regions.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Entomology
- Tropical Animal Health
Background:
- Heartwater disease, first recorded in South Africa in 1838, is now prevalent across sub-Saharan Africa and various islands.
- Research efforts, historically concentrated in South Africa, have been slow but yielded key insights.
Observation:
- Heartwater is recognized as a primary or secondary most impactful tick-borne disease in Africa.
- Its economic impact on livestock production, though not fully quantified, is substantial.
Findings:
- The disease significantly hinders the introduction of high-producing livestock for breed improvement.
- Heartwater poses a considerable threat to regions like the American mainland, which have suitable vectors but are currently disease-free.
Implications:
- Understanding heartwater's epidemiology and impact is vital for livestock health and agricultural economies in affected regions.
- Preventing the introduction and spread of heartwater is critical for safeguarding livestock populations in disease-naïve areas.
Abstract:
The first written record of what probably could have been heartwater originates from South Africa and dates back to 1838. Since then, the disease was described from almost all the African countries south of the Sahara as well as from Madagascar, São Tome, Reunion, Mauritius and a number of islands in the Caribbean. Most research on the disease, at least until recently, was conducted in South Africa. Progress in research was slow but a few outstanding findings are mentioned in this paper. Despite inadequate information on its actual economic impact on livestock production, it is generally accepted that heartwater is either the most or second most important tick-borne disease in Africa. Depending on the area, heartwater ranks either second or third amongst diseases such as East Coast fever, tsetse-transmitted trypanosomiasis, rinderpest and perhaps also schistosomiasis. Heartwater is a major obstacle with regard to the introduction of highly producing animals intended for the upgrading of local breeds. Furthermore, it remains a major threat to areas such as the American mainland, where potential vectors are present but where the disease does not occur.