Future prospects and goal setting regarding research on heartwater

This article highlights the most important research goals identified during the workshop on "Heartwater: Past, Present and Future," which was held from 8-11 September 1986 in the Republic of South Africa. An attempt has also been made to identify the most modern technology which is available for this purpose. All 60 papers presented at the workshop, together with other relevant information, are published in this number of the Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research. With regard to the causative organism it is crucial that research should be conducted on pure isolates. Moreover, existing culture methods should be improved in order to obtain better yields of organisms. Research on the hosts and vectors of Cowdria ruminantium should aim to elucidate the ways in which vector ticks become infected in nature. For this purpose especially, it will be necessary to develop rapid tests (e.g. DNA probes) to detect the organism in living animals and ticks. The nature of immunity and young animal resistance are still obscure and call for basic research. Mice and murino-tropic isolates of C. ruminantium should prove useful in this regard. Since cross-reactions with Ehrlichia occur, it is essential to give particular attention to the sero-epidemiology of Ehrlichia in conjunction with similar studies on Cowdria. The development of a tissue culture vaccine offers the greatest chance of immediate success and should be actively pursued. Studies on a recombinant vaccine should, however, be initiated because of the potential long term advantages.