Anemia and mechanism of erythrocyte destruction in ducks with acute Leucocytozoon infections

Journal of Protozoology
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Abstract

In the anemia which accompanies infection by Leucocytozoon simondi in Pekin ducks there was a far greater loss of erythrocytes than could be accounted for as a result of direct physical rupture by the parasite. Erythrocyte loss began at the same time the 1st parasites appeared in the blood and was severest just prior to maximum parasitemia. Blood replacement and parasite loss occurred simultaneously. Examination of the spleen and bone marrow revealed that erythrophagocytosis was not the cause of anemia as reported for infections of Plasmodium, Babesia and Anaplasma. An anti-erythrocyte (A-E) factor was found in the serum of acutely infected ducks which agglutinated and hemolyzed normal untreated duck erythrocytes as well as infected cells. This A-E factor appeared when the 1st red cell loss was detected and reached its maximum titer just prior to the greatest red cell loss. Titers of the A-E factor were determined using normal uninfected erythrocytes at temperatures between 4 and 42 C. Cells agglutinated below 25 C and hemolyzed at 37 and 42 C. These results indicated that the A-E factor could be responsible for loss of cells other than those which were infected and could thus produce an excess loss of red cells.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Anemia and mechanism of erythrocyte destruction in ducks with acute Leucocytozoon infections
Series title Journal of Protozoology
DOI 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1968.tb02156.x
Volume 15
Issue 3
Publication Date April 30, 2007
Year Published 1968
Language English
Publisher Wiley
Contributing office(s) Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Description 8 p.
First page 455
Last page 462
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