I.I. Julla, N.O. Tingwa and V.L. Kwajok*
Joint East Coast Fever Survey and Control Project
Directorate of Animal Resources, Equatoria Region
P.O. Box 251
Juba, Sudan
* Regional Dairy and Poultry Project (MAFAO)
Directorate of Animal Resources, Equatoria Region
P.O. Box 251
Juba, Sudan
The Equatoria Region is situated in the south of Sudan bordering Kenya, Uganda, Zaire and the Central African Republic. In the last animal census taken in Sudan, in 1976, the region had a cattle population of 1.4 million. Due to the uncontrolled movement of cattle within the region and across the border, including an influx of Ugandan refugees in 1978 and 1979 who brought with them an estimated 15000-18000 head of cattle, this figure is now probably much larger. The region has a widely distributed wildlife population, including buffalo and antelope, whose movements depend mainly on the season and availability of water.
EAST COAST FEVER OUTBREAKS AND INCIDENCES
An East Coast fever (ECF) outbreak was reported in 1950 by Hoogstraal in Kajo Kaji and Yei districts in the Equatoria Region (Hoogstraal, 1956). The disease was not reported again until 1981 (Morzaria et al., 1981), when the presence of Theileria parva was confirmed microscopically and serologically in the Chukudum and Awa River areas. Zessein and Baumann (1982) identified T. parva antibodies in cattle in the Bahr El Ghazal region. This was surprising in that the vector, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, does not occur in this region, although R. evertsi and R. simus were identified. Julla (1985) reported a typical outbreak of ECF at Palotaka in the Eastern Bank of the Equatoria Region in 1984, and in 1985 outbreaks of ECF occurred in Nimule and Juba townships. The Numule outbreak affected 4000 cattle and caused a low mortality and a morbidity rate of almost 100%. The disease spread and became established around Juba due to the regular movement of trade cattle in the township area.
The disease reached the Terekeka area, some 60 miles north of Juba, with the movement of the Mudari people and their cattle away from the ECF problems of Juba. Because of the rapid spread of the disease and the large number of cattle at risk, OXFAM/ACCOMPOLISH in 1987 and 1988 launched an emergency chemotherapeutic control programme using parvaquone and long-acting tetracycline.
DISTRIBUTION OF RHIPICEPHALUS APPENDICULATUS
Rhipicephalus appendiculatus is restricted in Sudan to areas of high rainfall and moderate temperature, most of which are located in the green belt area of the Equatoria Region, such as in Kalokaji, Yei, Ngangala, Torit and Katire, where Hoogstraal (1956) found the tick. Morzaria et al. (1981) and Julla (1985) identified R. appendiculatus in the areas of Chakudum, Aswa River, Palotaka, Nimule and Juba town. Tick collections between 1985 and 1988 confirmed the presence of R. appendiculatus in and around Juba.
CONCLUSIONS
The confirmation of ECF and its vector suggests that the disease has become established in the Equatoria Region. There is an urgent need to conduct epidemiological studies to determine the extent of the disease distribution. Data from these studies could then form the basis of proper control using antitheilerial drugs, tick control measures and immunization by the infection-and-treatment method. The Directorate of Animal Resources has established an East Coast fever survey and control project at Juba University to implement these measures.
REFERENCES
Hoogstraal, H. (1956). Ticks of the Sudan. African Ixodidea, Vol. 1. Research Report NM005.050.29.07. Washington, D.C.: Department of the Navy, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, 1101 pp.
Julla, I.I. (1985). Theileriosis in southern Sudan. In: Irvin, A.D., ed. Immunization against Theileriosis in Africa: Proceedings of a Workshop Held fin Nairobi, Kenya, 1-5 October 1984. Nairobi: The International Laboratory for Research on Animal Diseases, pp. 27-30.
Morzaria, S.P., Tatchell, R.J., Minor, R., Pedersen, V., Julla, I.I., Rahim, A., Dyson, D. and Van Aarle, P.A.M. (1981). Preliminary studies on the epidemiology of theileriosis in Eastern Equatoria Province of the Sudan. In: Irvin, A.D., Cunningham, M.P. and Young, A.S., eds. Advances in the Control of Theileriosis: Proceedings of an International Conference Held at the International Laboratory for Research on Animal Diseases, Nairobi, Kenya, 9-13 February 1981. The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, pp. 83-85.
Zessein, K.H. and Baumann, M.P.O. (1982). Report on Livestock Disease Survey: Bahr el Ghazal Province, Sudan. Berlin: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ).
