East Coast Fever: Challenge if Immunised Cattle by Prolonged Exposure to Infected Ticks

Abstract

Bos taurus steers, previously treated with acaricide but washed before the trial commenced, were introduced sequentially to a paddock with a high level of T. parva infected ticks. The 12 animals exhibited macroschizonts in lymph nodes at 7-12 days, a febrile response at 9-13 days, and died at 14-21 days. Tick counts were highest on ears (the maximum level was 330), and the build-up of tick attachment correlated with time to death. Four steers immunized three months previously with tick-derived T. parva stabilate material plus Terramycin ECF were kept in the paddock throughout the experiment (60 days). Prepatent period was 10-15 days, but despite high levels of tick attachment (peaks of 500 on ears), there were minimal symptoms and only a slight transient rise in antibody titre on day 40. A few macroschizonts were detected in lymph nodes during the first week of infection and they reappeared from days 34-38. A few piroplasms were seen intermittently in blood smears.