Heartwater is transmitted primarily by vectors that are present in the United States.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only by nasal secretions
• D. It cannot spread in the United States

Answer: (A)

Heartwater is a tick-borne disease of ruminants, with transmission driven mainly by ticks of the Amblyomma genus. These ticks feed on infected animals and then pass the infection to new hosts during subsequent feedings. Several Amblyomma species are found in the United States, so the vectors capable of transmitting heartwater exist here. That’s why the statement is true: the disease is transmitted primarily by vectors that are present in the United States. It’s not spread by nasal secretions, and while heartwater isn’t currently established in the U.S., the presence of the vector ticks means introduction of the pathogen could, in principle, lead to transmission under the right conditions.