Elaeophora sagitta

Lore & Background

Elaeophora sagitta was first described in 1907 from the heart of a Bushbuck in Cameroon, under the name Filaria sagitta. In 1926, it was transferred to the genus Cordophilus as Cordophilus sagittus, but in 1976 the genus Cordophilus was synonymized with Elaeophora, resulting in its current name. Adults attach to the inner walls of heart chambers, coronary and pulmonary arteries, and occasionally coronary veins, producing aneurysmal lesions 1–2 cm in diameter.

The life cycle of E. sagitta has not been studied in detail, but it is viviparous: females shed microfilariae directly into the bloodstream. The parasite has been found in several African nations, including Cameroon, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, the Republic of the Congo, and South Africa. Hosts include Bushbuck, Greater kudu, bongos, nyala, common eland, African Forest Buffalo, and unspecified cattle; lesions similar to those caused by E. sagitta have been found in sheep, though the parasites themselves were not recovered.

Infestation rates vary widely: up to 74% and over 90% in free-ranging kudu, nearly half of 33 eland in Kruger National Park, but only 0.416% in a slaughterhouse survey of bovine hearts in Swaziland. In other host species, only isolated cases have been reported.

Reader's Guide

Elaeophora sagitta is significant as a parasitic nematode that can cause serious cardiovascular pathology in African ruminants, though its impact varies greatly by host species. In Greater kudu, infestation appears clinically benign, but in other hosts—such as eland, bongos, and African Forest Buffalo—it has been associated with fatalities, often in conjunction with other parasites. The parasite produces aneurysmal lesions, hypertrophy and dilatation of heart ventricles, thrombosis, and myocarditis. As one author noted, even a minor reduction in cardiopulmonary efficiency could affect survival when a host flees from a predator. Despite its potential severity, the life cycle and degree of circulatory interference have not been studied in detail. Its presence across multiple African nations and host species underscores its ecological and veterinary importance, though prevalence data suggest it is often underreported except in certain populations like free-ranging kudu.

Did You Know?

• Elaeophora sagitta was first described in 1907 from the heart of a Bushbuck in Cameroon.
• Infestation rates as high as over 90% have been reported in free-ranging kudu.
• The parasite produces aneurysmal lesions 1–2 cm in diameter in vessel walls.
• Its life cycle has not been studied in detail, but it is viviparous, shedding microfilariae directly into the bloodstream.