East Coast Fever is spread through vectors such as ticks when they feed on infected cattle.
The high prevalence of the vectors makes the disease the leading cause of mortality among cattle.
Signs and diagnosis
- Mortality can be up to 100%, with death occurring about 18–30 days after the initial attachment of infected ticks.
- Clinical signs for diagnosis include fever and enlarged lymph nodes near the tick bites. Others include, frothy nasal discharge, diarrhoea, pulmonary oedema, leukopaenia, and anaemia.
Infected cattle given medication sometimes recover or death follows due to blocked capillaries. Cattle that recover from the disease become carriers.
Treatment and control
Just like HIV, controlling the spread of the disease is the main option.
Fighting East Coast Fever relies on tick control. Pesticides (acaricides) are mixed in dipping baths or spray races, in which cattle pass to kill the ticks.
Spray races should be done at least three times a year. In recent years, however, ticks have gained resistance to some of the acaricides.
Resistance may be as a result of the farmers overusing or underusing the acaricide, a situation that helps ticks gain immunity.
Ranchers must follow the recommended applications and seek services of qualified veterinary offi cers, before they apply the pesticide. Genuine acaricides can only be got from certified agri-inputs dealers.
