The epidemiology of theileriosis in Africa

TLDR: The contents of this book span from the fascinating 'whodunit' detective work of early investigators in the 1900s to the control methods listed in Chapter II that offer the potential to 'undo it', and the two final chapters on modeling and economic impact acknowledge the broad perspective in which efforts to control the disease are now set.

Abstract: The title of this book does not adequately reflect the comprehensive treatment of a complex and important parasitic disease of domestic cattle. Despite the passing of 100 years, East Coast fever (ECF) remains an economically and environmentally important disease in a continent desperate to increase food production in response to modest expectations from a growing population. The 13 chapters embrace a wide range of subjects, each of which is pertinent to understanding why the disease still remains a constraint and a challenge to livestock production in Africa. Chapters I, 2, 7 and 10 give a historical overview of the study of the disease. Chapters I and 2 provide detailed historical backgrounds to the spread and control of the disease in Southern, Central and Eastem Africa. These chapters are written with great clarity and are rich in detail that might have become lost had they not been wisely commissioned for inclusion in the book. Although Chapter 7 is intended to be a discussion of the host population dynamics, it inevitably becomes a historical review of the pattern of trends in selection of cattle breeds for increased productivity in a continent that was targeted for agricultural exploitation. Chapter 10, under the theme of epidemiological states, revisits the historical pattern of disease by examination of reported case his tones of outbreaks in cattle populations in different geographical loci. In contrast, Chapter II l ists the crucial armour/ of control methods which have been pursued. These methods range from early attempts to eradicate the tick population using arsenical acaricides, to modem-day usage of drugs and the future potential for large-scale vaccination. The contents of these chapters, therefore, span from the fascinating 'whodunit' detective work of early investigators in the 1900s (and, in particular, the pioneering work of Theiler and Koch) to the control methods listed in Chapter II that offer the potential to 'undo it'. Chapters 3, 8 and 9 are targeted primarily at readers with a capacity for absorbing scientific and technical detail. An early chapter on origins, classification and nomenclature lists in tedious scientific format the various taxonomical properties of the many theilerial species. The content of this chapter represents the labour of investigations over many years, and portrays the classical difficulties in obtaining agreement on taxonomical issues. The chapter on parasite population dynamics, in contrast, relates with great simplicity what is a complex relationship between the theilerial parasite and the cattle host; and a chapter on reporting, diagnosis and surveillance reports on the current techniques available for monitoring the effects of the disease under laboratory and field conditions. This chapter should be of interest to those workers interested in measuring the impact of potential control methods on other vector-transmitted diseases. The remaining chapters are written at a general level, and each gives a good overview to the non-specialist. The chapter on tick vectors of theileriosis was fragmented. The Boophilus life cycle seemed out of place and there was undue attention given to the use of the Climex model for the distribution of Amblyomma. This material would have been better placed in the modeling chapter where Climex is discussed in detail. These deviations serve to emphasize that the content of the book is not confined to theileriosis epidemiology in Africa but has wide-reaching implications for all such diseases. The two final chapters on modeling and economic impact acknowledge the broad perspective in which efforts to control the disease are now set. This is an important book on two accounts: (I) it provides a competent and accurate record of scientific achievements in the control of a ticktransmitted disease, and (2) it provides a record of the historical events which have affected the transmission of a disease across national boundaries. Since the conception of the book at a scientific meeting in Lilongwe in 1988, a combination of events has led it towards successful completion. Over the years, aid agencies have remained committed to finding solutions to ECF and their support has sustained a small community of dedicated scientific workers. The collaboration of the authors and the use of other expert contributors has provided a successful formula for the presentation of the material. The authors have produced an accurate and balanced perspective of the epidemiology of theileriosis. The text has already become an important handbook for ECF research workers and will be of value to anyone with an interest in the control of parasitic diseases. To list minor points of criticism would be misleading. Although other contributions could have enhanced the book, this is a first-class volume which has provided a useful service not only for ECF workers, but also for students of tropical diseases, epidemiology, preventive animal health practice and planning. What is interesting is that the end is yet to be written. The control of ECF has come to a crossroads. Recent progress in the development of molecular vaccines and the prospect of models to predict the efficacy and impact of control point to new horizons. Perhaps by the year 2020, ECF will no longer plague African cattle.