A rickettsial disease, also known as cowdriosis, which is caused by the microorganism Cowdria ruminantium and is transmitted by ticks of the genus Amblyomma. The disease occurs in wild and domestic ruminants, primarily cattle, sheep, and goats, in sub-Saharan Africa and some Caribbean islands (for example, Guadeloupe, Antigua, and Marie-Galante); it is a major obstacle to improvement of livestock production in Africa.