Anaplasma marginale (THEILER, 1910), a rickettsial hemoparasite of ruminants, is transmited biologically and mecanically by ticks and haematofagous insects. It has a pre-patent period of 20 to 40 days, followed by high parasitemia and severe anemia. Infected animals can develop a mild, aguda, hiperaguda or cronic clinical forms of the disease. A. marginale has an worldwide distribuition with high incidence in tropical and subtropical regions. A. marginale promove an immunity not dependent of a persistent infection, involving both, humural and celular immunological mechanisms. Diagnosis is based on clinical signs, detection of the microrganisms on the blood, antibodies on the serum or post-mortem pathological changes. Informations about the diagnostic aspects of anaplasmosis are reviewed.
Anaplasma marginale; prevalence; immunity; diagnostics