TECHNICAL

Handling heartwater better

Heartwater is a serious tick-borne disease that is often fatal. Its name
is derived from fluid that collects around the heart or in the lungs.
Other symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, breathing difficulties, nervous signs convulsions
or very hard kicking. If your cattle show these signs, contact your veterinarian immediately.
The rickettsia agent, Ehrlichia ruminantium, causes heartwater. It is transmitted to domestic
and wild ruminants by the tick, Amblyomma hebraeum, or the bontpoot tick. Bontpoot ticks
transmit the parasitic organism (rickettsia) that causes heartwater when they bite cattle, sheep,
goats, antelope and buffalo.

Treatment and prevention

Heartwater should be treated immediately with an oxytetracycline product. Prevent the disease
by regularly inspecting animals and pastures for ticks. Catch the disease early to increase
survival rates. A vaccination programme and regular dipping to eradicate ticks can also help
to prevent heartwater. Outbreaks can be prevented by creating a stable tick population (do not
over-dip animals) and vaccination (carried out or supervised by a vet).
Vaccination should start with the very young animals. Calves younger than three weeks usually
have a non-specific resistance to heartwater. Vaccinating healthy calves younger than three
weeks is not without risk, but still has the lowest risk. This method doesnt always require
treatment, but it is important to keep an eye on the calves after vaccination. When animals
older than three weeks are vaccinated, they almost always react to the vaccine one is in
fact infecting them with heartwater. Treatment may be necessary. Do not vaccinate too many
animals at once (no more than 20), as these animals require close monitoring.

Dipping facilities

To kill off parasites such as the bontpoot tick, there are a few dipping tips to follow:
T
 ake part in communal dipping for tick control in the area. If farmers dip on their own farms,
they should all use the same dipping brand in the same area.
F ollow dipping instructions to the letter and mix dip to correct strength. The correct dip
strength can cause tick resistance build-up to the dip. Use clean water to mix the dip and
check the dip concentration frequently during dipping.
K
 eep dipping records for later reference and dip weekly until the tick problem is under control.
C
 ontinue to check animals regularly for ticks. Tick eggs usually hatch after heavy rainfall in
the summer months. Use a pour-on dip during the rainy season as the oily base and will stay
longer on the animals bodies.

UBISI MAIL | DECEMBER 2010

25

Heartwater disease
Bontpoot ticks transmit the parasitic organism,
rickettsia, to cattle, sheep, goats, antelope and
buffalo.
Symptoms: Fever, loss of appetite, breathing difficulties, nervous signs (high-stepping walk,
a goat turns its head towards its body in a strange manner), convulsions or kicking very hard.
Often fatal. Fluid collects around the heart or in the lungs.
Treat immediately with an oxytetracycline. Prevention: Regular inspection of animals and
pastures. A vaccination programme and regular dipping help to eradicate ticks.

Hartwater
Bontpootbosluise versprei die parasitiese organisme,
rickettsia, na beeste, skape, bokke, wildsbokke en buffels.
Simptome: Koors, verlies van eetlus, moeilike
asemhaling, senuagtigheid (loop met groot tre, n bok
draai sy kop op n vreemde manier na sy liggaam),
konvulsies of harde geskop. Dikwels dodelik. Vloeistof
versamel om die hart of in die longe.
Behandel onmiddellik met n oksitetrasiklien. Voorkoming: Gereelde inspeksie van diere
en weivelde. n Inentingsprogram en gereelde dip help om bosluise uit te roei.

Isifo Samanzi Azungese Inhliziyo (i-Heartwater)

Imikhaza ye-Bontpoot ithumela okuphilayo okuphila ngokudla emzimbeni (i-rickettsia)
ezinkomeni, ezimvwini, ezimbuzini, ezinyamazaneni kanye nasezinyathini.
Izimpawu: imfiva, ukungathandi ukudla,
ukuba nobunzima bokuphefumula, izimpawu
zokuba khona kwemizwa (izinyathelo
zokuhambela phezulu ngokweqile, imbuzi
ijikisa inhloko yayo iyibhekise emzimbeni
ngendlela engajwayelekile), ukudikiza noma
ukukhahlela kakhulu kabi. Esikhathini esiningi
okunokubulala. Uketshezi luqoqana luzungeze
inhliziyo noma amaphaphu.

26

UBISI MAIL | DECEMBER 2010

TECHNICAL

Selaphe ngokushesha ngomkhiqizo we-oxytetracycline.

Ukuvikela: Ukuhlola njalo izilwane kanye namadlelo.
Uhlelo Lokujova kanye nokufaka ediphini njalo ukuqeda
imikhaza.

Lefu la heartwater
Matsetse a bitswang bontpoot a fetisetsa kokwanyana e nwang madi (rickettsia) dikgomong, dinkung,
dipoding, matseng le dinareng.
Matshwao: feberu, ho fellwa ke takatso ya
dijo, ho hema ka thata, matshwao a methapokutlo (ho hatela hodimo, podi e kobela hlooho
ya yona mmeleng ka tsela e sa tlwaelehang),
ho shwa sethwathwa kapa ho raha ka matla.
Ho ntsha mantle kgafetsa haholo. Ho bokellana
ha mekedikedi pelong kapa matshwafong.
Alafa phoofolo hang-hang ka prodakte ya
oxytetracycline. Thibelo: Hlahloba diphoofolo
le makgulo ka mehla. Lenaneo la ho enta le
ho isa diphoofolo diping ka mehla ho fedisa
matsetse.

Isifo se-Heartwater
Amakhalane e-Bontpoot asasaza isidleleli esincinane
esiphilayo (i-rickettsia) kwiinkomo, iigusha, iibhokwe, ii-antelope
nakwiinyathi.
Iimpawu: ifiva, ukungacaceli ukutya, ubunzima bokuphefumla,
iimpawu zobuphakuphaku (ukuhamba ngathi sihamba kwindawo
ephezulu, ibhokwhe iye ijike intloko yayo ijonge kumzimba waye
ngendlela engaqhelekanga), ukuxhuzula okanye ukukhaba ngamandla
kakhulu. Kaninzi ziyafa. Ulwelo luye luqokelelana ngasentliziyweni
okanye emiphungeni.
Nyanga ngoko nangoko ngemveliso ye-oxytetracycline. Uthintelo: Ukuhlolwa rhoqo
kwemfuyo kunye namadlelo. Inkqubo yokugonya kunye nokudipha rhoqo iphelisa
amakhalane. UM
UM

UBISI MAIL | DECEMBER 2010

27