The carrier status of sheep, cattle and African buffalo recovered from heartwater.

Sheep, cattle and the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) were shown to remain carriers of heart-water (caused by Cowdria ruminantium) for long periods after recovery; 223, 246 and 161 days, respectively. Transmission was achieved using adults of the southern African bont tick (Amblyomma hebraeum) that had fed as nymphs on recovered animals. Our findings differ from those of other workers who attempted transmission using nymphs that had fed as larvae on recovered animals or with blood from recovered animals.