Characteristics of Theileria species (eland) infections in eland and cattle

Abstract

A stabilste of Theileria sp (eland) was prepared from adult Rhipicephalus appendiculatus ticks which had fed as nymphs on a parasitaemic eland. This stabilate proved infective to eland and cattle which developed macroschizont, and, in most cases, piroplasm parasitoses. The reactions of cattle and eland to this stabilate challenge were variable but lower numbers of piroplasms were produced in cattle. Theileria sp (eland) appeared to have low pathogenicity for eland and cattle although one eland died on challenge, showing a 50 per cent piroplasm para-sitaemla. Eland and cattle recovered from Theileria sp (eland) infection were immune to challenge with the homologous stabilate. However, eland infected previously with blood developed macroschizonts when challenged with stabilate. Cattle recovered from Theileria sp (eland) were fully susceptible to T parva stabilate challenge. Sera from cattle infected with Theileria sp (eland) only showed a significant rise in indirect fluorescent antibody titres when Theileria sp (eland) piroplasm antigen was used. Sera from cattle reacting to Theileria sp (Idobogo) and Theileria sp (Mwanza), other species with low pathogenicity, also showed an antibody response to Theileria sp (eland) piroplasm antigen. In two cases it proved possible to transmit Theileria sp (eland) between cattle using R appendiculatus. The establishment of lymphoblastoid cell lines infected with schizonts was achieved from eland but not from cattle. One infected cell line from eland grew as a monolayer. The development of this parasite was compared with other Theileria spp and it is proposed that Theileria sp (eland) be designated T taurotragl(Martin and Brocklesby 1960).