How to manage East Coast Fever

Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi inspects a cattle dip in Salawa, Baringo sub-county. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

As a child, I used to hear about East Coast Fever and its impact on cattle health. Now that I am a grown-up and a dairy farmer, I still hear about it.

This disease has caused me losses despite having a robust tick control programme on my farm. Last month, I almost lost my priced Friesian to the disease but thanks to my vet’s early intervention, we were able to save it. I do not understand how the animal got the disease yet I spray the herd regularly.

I grow my own Napier grass which I feed the cattle. I occasionally buy grass and hay from peddlers. Could this be the source of the disease? [Dominic Makhapila]

Thank you, Mr Makhapila for your question. Like you, I started hearing about this disease as a young boy at St Peters Primary School in Mumias. Our Science and Agriculture teacher then Mr Lithala always mentioned it.

What is ECF?

East Coast Fever abbreviated as ECF is a tick-borne disease of cattle. It is spread by ticks and caused by protozoa (Theileria Parva), giving it the scientific name Theileriosis.

The specific ticks involved have two to three hosts which are important when it comes to spread and prevention through tick control.

The brown ear tick (Rhipicephalus appendiculatus).

Why ECF is of economic importance?

ECF is sometimes referred to as cattle malaria; because just like malaria kills, it also does the same to cattle.

ECF is especially common in eastern, central, and southern parts of Africa; which host more than 30 million cattle. It is of great economic importance because of mortalities caused, production losses, cost of treatment, and tick control.

Animals that have recovered from ECF still suffer from reduced productivity. In Kenya, ECF affects all production systems.

Exotic dairy and beef breeds are susceptible to ECF and this has limited their introduction in certain areas.

Which ticks spread ECF?

Brown, red and red-legged ticks are the main transmitters of ECF. A tick carrying ECF-causing protozoa will feed on cattle then drop off and gets onto another healthy cattle infecting it.

Tick stages live in grass fields and if you are bringing pasture from outside as Mr. Makhapila did, that is an easy way of spreading ECF even with regular spraying of animals.

What are the clinical signs of ECF?

Upon a bite, the parasites multiply in the nearest lymph node causing it to swell within two weeks.

The ear will often be swollen after two weeks of infection. Other lymph nodes will also swell. A fever will develop which can rise to 42 degrees Celsius.

Other signs include loss of appetite, wasting, difficulty breathing, excess tears, and mucus.

Before death, the animal will be recumbently followed by a fall in temperature. The severity of the disease and the course the disease takes depends on the number of infected ticks that bite an animal.

Treatment

East Coast fever can be treated by injecting parvaquone and buparvaquone. The treatment is more effective if administered early in the disease.

Prevention of ECF?

In addition to tick control practice restriction of animal movement into and from your farm will help to reduce ticks and subsequently ECF and other tick-borne diseases.

Feral dogs and wild animals can also bring ticks onto your farm. Don’t buy feeds harvested from roadsides as they are a major source of ticks into farms that even practice regular spraying with acaricides.

Vaccination against ECF has emerged as the most effective and cost-effective method of control. It costs only Sh1,000.

The single jab gives lifelong immunity to the animal. The vaccination is unique in that it involves Infection and Treatment Method (ITM). It is carried out by vets who have been trained to carry out the vaccination.

When an animal recovers from ECF it develops immunity to clinical re-infection with the same strain of the parasites. Once animals are immunised, tick control must continue to reduce tick numbers.

Ticks suck blood and cause irritation resulting in a reduction in productivity and spread of other diseases.