Vaccination with Anaplasma centrale: response after an experimental challenge with Anaplasma marginale

The haematological and clinical responses to vaccination with Anaplasma centrale and to subsequent challenge with Anaplasma marginale were evaluated. Twenty Holstein steers 14 to 16 months of age were divided into two groups of 12 and eight animals respectively (groups I and II). Group I was inoculated on day zero with 10(7) A. centrale-infected erythrocytes and group II was kept as a control. On day 125 both groups were challenged with 5 X 10(7) A. marginale-infected erythrocytes. A. centrale inoculation produced low parasitaemias (maximum mean 2.7%), moderate packed cell volume (PCV) falls (minimum mean 20.5%) and no clinical symptoms. After the challenge group I had significantly lower parasitaemia (maximum mean 2.3%) and higher PCV (minimum mean 20.1%) than group II (7.5% and 14.5% respectively). Four steers from group II developed acute anaplasmosis and required treatment.