THE CONTROL OF HEARTWATER IN WEST-AFRICA - PRESENT AND FUTURE

Heartwater (HW) is the name given to the acute, febrile disease of rum inants caused by infection with the obligate intra-cellular rickettsia Cowdria ruminantium. The effect of losses associated with HW and derm atophilosis are an important constraint to the sustainable use of non- indigenous breeds, but recent advances in heartwater and dermatophilos is research provide optimism that integrated control of these conditio ns can be achieved in west Africa. The relevant advances in HW researc h are in methods for monitoring the status of animals at risk of devel oping heartwater, which allow the veterinarian and owner to identify c ontrol strategies for herds and individual animals, and developments i n the field of vaccination. This paper seeks to provide information th at may assist the veterinary services in west Africa in assessing and identifying opportunities for HW control. Recommendations for the acti vities of key institutions place an emphasis upon the isolation and id entification of west African strains of Cowdria for inclusion in inact ivated or live vaccines, and the need for donor support to enable fiel d trials of integrated control methods for HW and dermatophilosis.