Comparative pathogenicity of Theileria annulata strains

Summary

Twenty three susceptible crossbred calves were inoculated with five Indian strains of Theileria annulata, collected from natural cases of tropical theileriosis at Ludhiana, Hissar, Jaipur, Uruli‐Kanchan and Bangalore. All the strains produced clinical disease with typical symptoms and lesions of acute theileriosis. The strains were considered highly virulent and equally pathogenic.     

Treatment of theileriosis with parvaquone in Zambia

Parvaquone was used to treat 126 cattle with theileriosis. Theileria species schizonts were present in their lymph node biopsy smears and the majority of the animals had clinical signs of theileriosis. One hundred and fifteen treated and one untreated cattle survived the infection while 11 treated and 12 untreated animals died of the disease. Despite serological evidence of a parasite challenge during the subsequent rainy season, recovered cattle did not develop clinical signs of theileriosis but untreated cattle in the area continued to die from the disease. An intermittent low piroplasm parasitaemia (less than 1 per cent) was observed in recovered cattle for up to 14 months after detailed monitoring of cattle in the trial; this could be evidence for a carrier status for the Theileria species or strains involved.     

East coast fever: 2. Cross-immunity trials with a Kenya strain of Theileria lawrencei

Cross-immunity trials were carried out on cattle which were immunized against theileriosis either by chemoprophylaxis or by sub-lethal challenge. In the first of two experiments, animals were immunized against either one of two strains of Theileria parva or one of two strains of Theileria lawrencei. They were then challenged with a Kenya strain of T. lawrencei (T. lawrencei KB 5). The former animals were not protected against the challenge, whereas the latter were either partially protected, when a Tanzanian strain of T. lawrencei had been used for immunization, or completely protected when another Kenyan strain of T. lawrencei had been used.In the second experiment, animals were immunized by chemoprophylaxis against T. lawrencei (KB5) and challenged with T. parva (one strain) or T. lawrencei (five strains). The cattle were protected against challenge with the identical or related T. lawrencei strains, but only partially protected against the T. parva strain and a Tanzanian strain of T. lawrencei.It appears that cattle cannot be immunized for field exposure to theileriosis throughout East Africa by chemoprophylaxis using T. lawrencei (KB5) alone, but may be able to withstand field exposure in a variety of situations if a combination of different theilerial strains is used in the vaccination procedure.     

Treatment of Theileria annulata infection in calves with parvaquone

Fifteen calves were infected by the injection of stabilate of a suspension of Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum ticks infected with the Ankara strain of Theileria annulata. Three were kept untreated, as controls, and they all died of theileriosis. Three groups of four calves were treated intramuscularly with parvaquone (Clexon; Wellcome) when early signs of theileriosis were clinically apparent. One group received 20 mg (kg bodyweight)-1 of parvaquone 10 days after infection. Two of these calves were clinically cured and two died of theileriosis. The remaining two groups of four calves received two doses of parvaquone, each of 10 mg (kg bodyweight)-1, either on days 10 and 11 or days 10 and 12. Three calves in each group were clinically cured while one in each group died of theileriosis. Total parasitological cure was not achieved in any of the calves. No symptoms of toxicity due to parvaquone treatment were observed.     

我国羊泰勒虫病及其基因工程疫苗研究进展

羊泰勒虫病是由羊的泰勒虫引起的绵羊和山羊的一种蜱传性血液原虫病.疫苗预防是控制和根除羊泰勒虫病的一种最安全、有效的方法.然而我国目前还没有任何预防羊泰勒虫的疫苗,疫苗的研制还处于抗原基因筛选阶段.论文就目前羊泰勒虫病及其基因工程疫苗的研究进展进行综述,并对其未来的发展趋势进行展望.     

Some preliminary observations on the susceptibility and resistance of different cattle breeds to Theileria parva infection

Theileria parva-na?ve Friesian (Bos taurus), Boran (Bos indicus) and Maasai Zebu steers (B. indicus) were infected with a T. parva sporozoite stabilate dose which had previously been shown to induce an estimated 50% mortality rate in Boran cattle. All the cattle developed patent infections with no significant differences in the length of the prepatent period to development of macroschizonts (P > 0.05) between the three groups. Clinical theileriosis occurred in all eight the Friesians (100%), five out of nine Borans (55.6%) and two out of five Zebus (40%). Three of the Friesians (37.5%), and two of the Borans (22.2%) died of theileriosis. The different cattle types were equally susceptible to the infective dose used as indicated by the length of the prepatent periods, but there was a marked difference in their development of clinical theileriosis. The gradation in resistance to disease confirms the findings of earlier less critical studies and identifies these cattle breeds as suitable for investigations into the mechanisms of resistance to theileriosis.     

青海省海西地区羊泰勒焦虫病的血清学诊断

用泰勒焦虫的重组蛋白P48作为DLISA诊断抗原,对青海省海西地区羊泰勒焦虫病进行了血清学调查。结果在651份山羊和绵羊血清中,检出抗体阳性的血清25份;阳性率分别为3.85%。表明青海省海西地区的羊群中存在羊泰勒焦虫的感染。     

牛瑟氏泰勒虫病致病机理的研究进展

牛瑟氏泰勒虫病是由蜱传染的一种血液原虫病。近年来,随着养牛业的发展,牛瑟氏泰勒虫病的发生呈上升趋势,尤其是引进牛和改良牛的发病率和致死率均较高,给养牛业带来了巨大的经济损失。本文对近年来牛瑟氏泰勒虫病的病原体、流行病学、病理学和致病作用等与此病的致病机理相关的方面的研究进展作一总结,以便广大兽医工作者对此病有更加深入的认识。     

Effect of Vaccination in the Field with the Theileria annulata (Hisar) Cell Culture Vaccine on Young Calves Born during the Winter Season

The responses were monitored of young crossbred calves vaccinated against tropical theileriosis during the winter against a field tick challenge in the disease season. Thirty-eight calves below 2 months of age, born after the end of the disease season, were selected at an organized farm. Twenty-five animals were vaccinated with Theileria annulata (Hisar) cell culture vaccine (developed at CCS HAU Hisar laboratory) after the end of the disease season and 13 calves were kept as non-vaccinated controls. These calves were observed for their susceptibility to theileriosis in the new disease season. There was an increase in antibody titre in 18 of the 25 vaccinated animals one month after vaccination. The antibody titre then declined gradually, but remained higher than those of the non-vaccinated animals at month 0. No fever or other clinical signs of tropical theileriosis were observed in any of the vaccinated animals. Nine out of 25 (36%) vaccinated calves showed occasional piroplasms (<;0.5%) in blood smears. All the vaccinated animals withstood the field tick challenge. On the other hand, 9 of the 13 (69%) unvaccinated calves exhibited occasional piroplasms, and included three clinical cases of tropical theileriosis. These observations suggest that young crossbred calves vaccinated with the T. annulata (Hisar) cell culture vaccine at the end of the disease season were relatively resistant during the next disease season.     

Studies on the transmission of Theileria annulata to cattle by the tick Hyalomma lusitanicum

The role of the ixodid tick Hyalomma lusitanicum Koch 1844 as a vector of Mediterranean or tropical theileriosis (caused by the protozoan parasite Theileria annulata Dschunkowsky et Luhs 1904) in southern Spain was studied. Hyalomma lusitanicum was the most common tick, and the only species of the genus Hyalomma L., found on T. annulata-infected cattle from the theileriosis enzootic area studied (province of Cádiz, southern Spain). Likewise, we found that all sera of the cattle previously considered as suspected of theileriosis by clinical signs, tested for T. annulata antibodies, were positive and all blood samples of these suspected cattle examined had infected erythrocytes. Partially fed H. lusitanicum adults were collected in the field on T. annulata-infected cattle in this enzootic area and fed on an uninfected calf in an experimental farm free of theileriosis and ticks. At approximately 3 weeks post-tick feeding on the calf, this became positive for T. annulata antibodies and T. annulata merozoites were found in erythrocytes from blood smears. These results show the ability of H. lusitanicum to transmit the protozoan parasite T. annulata to susceptible cattle and indicate that H. lusitanicum is probably an important vector of T. annulata in the enzootic area surveyed.     

Hyalomma impeltatum (Acari: Ixodidae) as a potential vector of malignant theileriosis in sheep in Saudi Arabia

Little is known about tick-borne diseases in Saudi Arabia, particularly regarding the prevalence of theileriosis in small ruminants. This survey studied the potential vectors of malignant theileriosis in Saudi Arabian sheep. Blood, lymph node and tick samples were collected from animals being treated or necropsied at the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Jeddah, Makkah (western region), and Bureida, Al-Qasim (central region). Blood and lymph node smears were prepared and examined for Theileria species. Theileria hirci (=T. lestoquardi) was found in lymph node smears of one out of 36 sheep (2.8%) in Jeddah and six of 25 sheep (24%) in Bureida. The erythrocytic forms were detected in 5-8% of RBCs. Ticks were found in relatively less number of sheep in Bureida and Jeddah, 17/180 and 26/125, respectively. All Theileria-infected sheep were infested with Hyalomma impeltatum except the one that carried Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum. This suggests that H. impeltatum is a potential vector of malignant theileriosis in Saudi Arabia.     

Non-specific immunization against bovine tropical theileriosis (Theileria annulata) using killed Corynebacterium parvum

Killed Corynebacterium parvum was used as an adjuvant for the production of non-specific resistance against Theileria annulata in cattle. Groups of cross-bred (Bos indicus X Bos taurus) calves were administered C. parvum adjuvant subcutaneously and were then challenged with T. annulata-infected ticks on 45, 60 or 90 days later. The challenge caused mild reactions in the protected calves. None of the 10 immunized calves died due to theileriosis, whereas all three paris of susceptible control calves died due to theileriosis. It appears from this pilot study that cattle can be protected non-specifically with C parvum adjuvant against T. annulata.     

Theileria orientalis occurs in Central Africa

An outbreak of bovine theileriosis in Burundi was investigated and the occurrence of Theileria orientalis in Central Africa was confirmed for the first time. Its identity was established on morphological and serological grounds. The parasite was associated with clinical signs and further complicates the disease picture of bovine theileriosis in Africa. Amblyomma variegatum is suspected as being the local vector.     

Chemo-immunization of ruminants againstBabesia,Anaplasma, Theileria andCowdria species

Current approaches to the procedure and clinical use of chemoimmunization to control babesiosis, anaplasmosis, theileriosis and heartwater in ruminants are discussed. The procedures comprise artificial infection of susceptible animals with more or less virulent strains of the causative parasites and subsequent or simultaneous treatment with an appropriate drug to moderate the reactions to the parasites. It is proposed that chemo-immunization be routinely carried out in the tropics as a method of immunizing susceptible cattle against these haemotropic infections before exposure to natural infection in the field. The method is particularly suitable for introduction of susceptible cattle into an enzootic area alongside an adequate tick control programme.     

Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis ticks transmit at least two different Theileria species: one is infective to yaks,one is infective to sheep

Adult Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis ticks from Gannan area, where ovine theileriosis is prevalent but bovine theileriosis has not been reported, transmitted Theileria parasites to yaks and sheep. Blood from the infected yak contained Theileria parasites that were infective to yaks, but not sheep. In contrast, blood from the infected sheep did not contain Theileria parasites infective to yaks. These results suggested that the ticks from the Gannan area were infected with two species of Theileria one which specifically parasitises yaks, one which parasitises sheep. Both infections were more aggressive in splenectomised hosts as compared to intact host. Adult H. qinghaiensis ticks from Zhanjiachuan area, where ovine theileriosis is prevalent but where no yaks are raised, transmitted Theileria parasites to ovine, but not yaks. Taken together these results indicate that H. qinghaiensis ticks may be infected with two different Theileria species. The species infective for sheep could be related to the newly recognised, but not yet named, pathogen recently reported in small ruminants in China. The species infective for yaks appears to be benign and is morphologically similar to parasites of the Theileria sergenti/orientalis/buffeli group.     

Treatment of experimentally induced Theileria annulata infection in cross-bred calves with buparvaquone

Twenty cross-bred (Bos taurus X Bos indicus) calves, 7-21 days old, were infected by a ground-up tick supernate of Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum infected with the Hisar isolate of Theileria annulata. Six calves acted as untreated controls and they all died of theileriosis within 17 days of infection. The remaining 14 calves were divided into Group A and B, each consisting of seven calves. All the calves of Groups A and B were treated intramuscularly with buparvaquone (BW 720C) on Day 11 post-infection, when clinical signs of theileriosis were apparent. Each calf received 2.5 mg BW 720 C kg-1 body weight as a single injection. In addition, each calf of Group B was given proprietary haematinics by intramuscular injection, daily for 12 days. In Group A, two calves died of cerebral theileriosis and five were clinically cured. However, four of these five calves later died of anaemia. In Group B, all the calves were clinically cured and none died during the observation period of 1 month. The parasitaemia declined to less than 1% within a fortnight of treatment. The initial declines in haemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume were halted and preinfection values were soon restored. No toxic signs attributable to treatment with buparvaquone were observed.     

Epidemiological aspects and economic impact of bovine theileriosis (East Coast fever) and its control: a preliminary assessment with special reference to Kibaha district, Tanzania

A cross-sectional study based on clinical examination, inspection of herd health records and a questionnaire was designed to determine the epidemiology, economics and potential impact of immunisation against theileriosis in Tanzania. The results showed annual theileriosis costs to be US$ 205.40 per head, whereas the introduction of immunisation reduced this by 40-68% depending on the post immunisation dipping strategy adopted. Morbidity risk due to theileriosis was 0.048 in immunised and 0.235 in non-immunised cattle, and the difference was significant (chi(2)=66.7; P=0.000). The questionnaire results indicated that immunised cattle had a significantly (chi(2)=6; P=0.015) higher risk of anaplasmosis compared with non-immunised cattle, whereas the risk of bovine babesiosis did not differ significantly (chi(2)=0.06; P=0.807) between the two groups. Mortality risk due to anaplasmosis was 0.046 in immunised and 0.018 in non-immunised cattle and this difference was statistically significant (chi(2)=4.48; P=0.043). The theileriosis mortality risk was 0.203 in the non-immunised cattle, while the risk was 0.009 in the immunised cattle and these differences were also significant (chi(2)=103; P=0.000). It was concluded that farmers who have immunised their cattle may cautiously cut down acaricide application by 50% for extensively grazed herds and by 75% for zero grazed animals depending on the level of tick challenge at the herd level.     

Susceptibility to Tropical Theileriosis of Calves Born to Dams Immunized with Theileria annulata (Hisar) Cell Culture Vaccine

The susceptibility/immune status to tropical theileriosis of calves born of immunized dams was evaluated. Six cows were vaccinated with the Theileria annulata cell culture vaccine in the eighth month of pregnancy. Sera from the immunized dams exhibited very high post-vaccination antibody titres as determined by the indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test. The calves born to these dams did not show antibodies against T. annulata at the time of birth (IFA titres of <1:20). The new-born calves were fed colostrum from their mothers and were challenged with T. annulata-infected ground tick supernate at 5–7 days of age. All the calves developed fever (from day 5–6 onwards) and parasitological reactions (from day 8–9 onwards) after challenge. There was a significant decrease in the haemoglobin and packed cell volume of the calves after challenge. All the calves showed signs of acute theileriosis by day 9–10 after challenge and had to be treated with buparvaquone in order to save their lives. The study indicated that detectable levels of anti-theilerial antibodies were not transferred from immune dams to their offspring. All the calves born to immunized dams were fully susceptible to theileriosis and thus themselves needed vaccination.     

Status of Lipid Peroxidation,Some Antioxidant Enzymes and Erythrocytic Fragility of Crossbred Cattle Naturally Infected with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Theileria annulata</Emphasis>

Erythrocytic lipid peroxidation, activities of some antioxidant enzymes and osmotic fragility of red blood cells was studied in adult (>1 year) crossbred cattle naturally infected with Theileria annulata. Twenty clinically healthy animals (group I) and 15 clinical cases (group II) of tropical theileriosis were selected. Cattle suffering from theileriosis had significantly higher (p<0.01) erythrocytic lipid peroxidation and osmotic fragility. Activities of antioxidant enzymes, viz. glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and glutamate peroxidase (GPx) were also significantly increased (p<0.01) in group II. However, superoxide dismutase and catalase did not show significant changes. The results indicated that infection with theileria led to increased oxidative stress to the animals, and even a significant rise in the activities of antioxidant enzymes. G6PD and GPx could not lower this oxidative stress. However, the increase in the activities of antioxidant enzymes pointed towards the body’s defence mechanism against lipid peroxidation during oxidative stress in theileriosis.     

Tropical theileriosis in Bos taurus and Bos taurus cross Bos indicus calves: response to infection with graded doses of sporozoites of Theileria annulata.

This work extends basic knowledge of tropical theileriosis in taurine and crossbred cattle. Infection of Bos taurus and Bos taurus cross Bos indicus (Sahiwal) calves with graded doses of sporozoites of Theileria annulata (Hissar), an Indian stock of the parasite, showed the following to be dose dependent in both cattle types: the time to appearance and population size of macroschizonts, microschizonts and piroplasms, time and severity of pyrexia, anaemia manifested by erythrocyte counts and haematocrit. All infections were accompanied by a prompt and severe panleucopenia. This effect was dose related in both the taurine and the Sahiwal crossbred calves. Lymphocyte counts returned to preinfection levels in the blood of animals which recovered, but death from theileriosis was characteristically accompanied by a persistent and severe lymphocytopenia. Flow cytometry using monoclonal antibodies to bovine mononuclear cells was used to identify the lymphocyte subsets involved in lymphocytopenia. The outcome of infection was dose dependent in the crossbred calves but not in taurine calves. Although the results obtained did not differ qualitatively between the two cattle types, they provided some preliminary evidence for resistance to tropical theileriosis in Sahiwal crossbred calves.