Clinical chemistry of anaplasmosis: comparative serum protein changes elicited by attenuated and virulent Anaplasma...

In a comparative study of the clinical chemical changes during Anaplasma marginale infection, 16 intact mature cows were infected with either of 2 virulent isolates. Eight others were treated with a live A marginale vaccine (sheep-attenuated) and 7 were maintained as controls. Before and during patency, samples of blood from the cows were analyzed for total WBC, parasitemia, card test titer (CTT), total protein, albumin, and globulin fractions. In the cows inoculated with virulent isolates, albumin was significantly depressed throughout patency, whereas gamma-globulins and WBC were increased after peak parasitemia, as well as during recovery. The CTT was highest immediately after peak parasitemia. A significant increase was not observed in beta-globulin. Seven of the 16 infected cows died, but no consistent patterns of change in serum protein fractions or WBC could be associated with mortality. The 8 cows vaccinated with the attenuated isolate showed a significant mean decrease in albumin throughout patency, but no significant mean increase in alpha- or beta-globulin. A mean increase in gamma-globulin was observed only during the recovery period. The CTT increased gradually throughout patency, peaking during the recovery period. A significant mean increase over control in WBC count was observed only during rising parasitemia.