Yunker C E
Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, South Africa.
Vet Parasitol. 1995 Mar;57(1-3):205-11. doi: 10.1016/0304-4017(94)03121-c.
Heartwater caused by Cowdria ruminantium infection is the most important tick-borne disease of ruminants in southern Africa. The in vitro culture system for this rickettsia, developed less than a decade ago, is responsible for the great majority of research accomplishments currently being reported in the areas of epidemiology, diagnosis and control of heartwater. Despite this progress, cultivation of C. ruminantium remains more of an art than a science, inasmuch as significant discrepancies exist, both among and within laboratories, in the ability to successfully and repeatedly produce cultured organisms. The current status of the in vitro system and its contributions are reviewed, and ongoing research in these areas by the Onderstepoort Veterinary Laboratory and collaborating institutions is discussed.
由反刍动物考德里氏体感染引起的牛心水病是南部非洲反刍动物最重要的蜱传疾病。这种立克次氏体的体外培养系统是在不到十年前开发的，目前在牛心水病的流行病学、诊断和控制领域所报道的绝大多数研究成果都归功于该系统。尽管取得了这一进展，但反刍动物考德里氏体的培养仍更多是一门技艺而非科学，因为在不同实验室之间以及同一实验室内部，成功且重复培养出该生物体的能力存在显著差异。本文综述了体外培养系统的现状及其贡献，并讨论了翁德斯普特兽医实验室和合作机构在这些领域正在进行的研究。
