By Julie Murchie and Victoria Paesani

Phylum Apicomplexa Caused by a tick-borne obligate intracellular parasite, Theileria parva, in subSaharan Africa, infecting ungulates

Brown Ear Tick

Major constraint to livestock production & food security in many developing countries Causes high morbidity & mortality, killing 1 million cattle every year
Prevents introduction of very productive but disease-susceptible breeds of cattle Expensive to control Places a huge economic burden on poor smallholder farmers Costs nearly $170 million yearly Some African counties use the cattle as forms of currency

T. parva has ability to induce cancer in host cell in a way that is reversible

Studies have provided clear links to cancer biology in humans Studying this parasite has given researchers clues for the right direction

Vaccines have the power to eradicate the disease Not hazardous to human health

Threat mostly in eastern, central, & southern Africa

Cattle *

Waterbuck

Indian Water Buffalo* *develop symptomatic infections

African Buffalo

5) divides with schizont inside 2 infected daughter cells

6) 10-15 days postinfection, schizont merozoite (invades erythrocyte (RBC))

* 5-8 days post-infection: found in lymph nodes * Schizonts increase 10fold every 3 days 7) In RBC, merozoite piroplasm (infect ticks)

4) Lymphocyte lymphoblast (enlarged lymphocyte) and

3) Sporozoite enters lymphocyte (WBC) schizont 2) Sporozoites transfer to ungulate if tick is attached for 48-72 hrs

1) Sporozoites produced in tick salivary glands

8) RBCs ingested by nymphs during feeding

Incubation Period
Experimentally Infected: 8-12 days Naturally Infected: up to 3 weeks

9) Once in gut, undergoes sexual reproduction motile stage, moves to ticks salivary gland

First Signs
appear 7-25 days after tick attaches

Parotid gland swells

Ear is preferred feeding site

Fever Anorexia & decrease in overall condition Lacrimation, corneal opacity Nasal discharge, terminal dyspnea

Later Signs

Interlobular emphysema & sever pulmonary edema

Before death, temperature falls & dyspnea intensifies Some develop neurologic disease turning sickness

Due to affected cells blocking circulation in capillaries within the CNS

Death (18-30 days after infestation by ticks) The few survivors become lifelong immune carriers. Majority of these cases, asymptomatic carriers can be recognized with little or no effect on their productivity. Minority develop chronic disease problems that result in stunted growth in calves and lack of productivity in adult cattle.

 Vaccination

Infect animal with the sporozoite form of the parasite while at the same time treating the cattle with an antibiotic drug to lessen the severity of the infection

Pasture

Management of Resistant Animals

Herd-Selection Tick

Control & Eradication

Matovelo et al. 2003

Induction of Acquired Immunity in Pastoral Zebu Cattle Against East Coast Fever After Natural Infection by Early Diagnosis and Early Treatment

 1.

Examine efficiency of chemotherapy of natural ECF cases to look at protective immunity against ECF in cattle.
Design a regimen farmers can use to help minimize cattle loss due to ECF. This is done by establishing early disease diagnosis and early treatment.

2.

 Two

villages in the Morogoro Rural District Two seasons (April and November) Ear tagged 280 calves

 Farmers

were trained to monitor the animals for clinical symptoms of ECF. Qualifying clinical symptoms: enlargement of superficial lymph nodes, increase in body temperature, dullness, and respiratory distress. Animals diagnosed with ECF were treated with buparvaquone. Severity of the disease at the time of treatment was categorized based on the criteria set for ECF clinical reactions with some modifications.

Indicator Variable Clinical status Mild

Rectal Temperature

Lymph node status

Respiratory performance

Demeanor

Above 39.5 C

Swollen parotid lymph-node

Normal

Normal

Moderate

Above 39.5 C

Swollen parotid and Prescapular node

Slight labored breathing Nasal discharges

Respiratory distress

Normal

Severe

Above 39.5 C

Swelling off all superficial lymph nodes

Reluctant to move/ recumbence

 Treatment

responses were categorized as prompt/rapid, slow, or died. serum antibodies to T. parva, with samples at the beginning and end of study, using ELISA. blood and lymph node smears for T. Parva parasites.

Examined

Studied

 100

animals were diagnosed with ECF

Most

prominent clinical signs were fever and lymph node enlargements. of animals were positive for ECF on at least one screening method. follow-up, only 5 individuals were diagnosed with ECF a second time.

81%

During

Diagnostic Means

Cases Tested

Missing Clinical Responses 0

Total Cases Mild

Moderate

Severe

Clinical signs of ECF Lymph node smears Blood Smears

100

100(100%)

66

30

99

67(67.68%)

42

22

98

41(41.84%)

27

13

No test detected

__

__

19(19%)

13

 Majority

of cattle that were treated recovered. (98% recovery rate) that early diagnosis and early treatment is a reliable means to diagnose cattle with ECF on a basis of clinical signs in endemic areas.

Shows

Reliable

early signs of infection are fever and swollen lymph nodes.

 Use

of chemotherapy with the early detection and early treatment approach reduced mortality and helped cattle develop immunity.

In

terms of immunization, the early detection and early treatment approach is a reasonable alternative to the infection and treatment.

 East

Coast Fever is caused by Theileria parva Hosts

Intermediate= cattle Definitive= ticks

Incubation

time is anywhere from 8 days to 3

weeks.
Very High No

expensive morbidity & mortality rates

harm to human health

Matovelo, Gwakisa, Gwamaka, Chilongola, Silayo, Mtenga, Maselle, and Kambarage. "Induction of Acquired Immunity in Pastoral Zebu Cattle Against East Coast Fever After Natural Infection by Early Diagnosis and Early Treatment." The Journal of Applied Research In Veterinary Medicine. 2003. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://www.jarvm.com/articles/Vol1Iss2/Matovelo.htm>. Azeem Photos. 2010. A blue water is looking well with animal Waterbucks. <http://azeemphotos.blogspot.com/2010/09/blue-water-is-looking-well-with-animal.html>. Accessed 22 March 2011. Department for International Development Animal Health Programme, University of Edinburgh. 2005. R8042 Integrated control of East Coast fever in cattle of small-holder farmers. <http://www.dfidahp.org.uk/index.php?section=4&subsection=48>. Accessed 21 March 2011. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 1983. Eradication an alternative to tick and tickborne disease control. <http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/x6538e/X6538E00.htm#TOC>. Accessed 22 March 2011. International Laboratory for Research on Animal Diseases. 1991. ILRAD 1990: Annual Report of the International Laboratory for Research on Animal Diseases. Nairobi: International Laboratory for Research on Animal Diseases. Malcolm J. G., et al. 2005. Genome Sequence of Theileria parva, a Bovine Pathogen That Transforms Lymphocytes. Science 309:134-136. Melhorn, H. Genus Ripicephalus Brown ear tick. Heinrich-Heine-Dusseldorf University. <http://www.butoxinfo.com/ectoparasites/ripicephalus.asp>. Accessed 22 March 2011. Morzaria, S.P. Identification of Theileria species and characterization of Theileria parva stocks. International Laboratory for Research on Animal Diseases. <www.fao.org/Wairdocs/ILRI/x5549E/x5549e0t.htm>. Accessed 23 March 2011. Science and Development Network. 2005. Genetic codes of cattle-killing parasites cracked SciDev.Net. <http://www.scidev.net/en/news/genetic-codes-of-cattlekilling-parasites-cracked.html>. Accessed 22 March 2011. Smith, M.C. Special Problems of Meat Goats (VET-595). Ambulatory and Production Medicine, New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University. <http://www.vin.com/proceedings/Proceedings.plx?CID=WSAVA2002&Category=&PID=5736&O=Generic>. Accessed 22 March 2011.