HAEMATOLOGICAL AND CYTOPATHOLOGICAL ALTERATIONS IN THEILERIA ANNULATA INDUCED BOVINE LYMPHADENOPATHY

The tick-borne intra-cellular parasite, Theileria annulata, causes mortality in bovines. Schizont of the parasite in lymphocytes divides continuously stimulating the clonal expansion of lymphoid cells in lymph nodes leading to the neoplasticlike lymphoid cell proliferation and sometimes may also cause lymphoma, especially in chronic conditions. Two cattle, with a history of fever and respiratory distress, were presented to the Large Animal Unit, Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex, GADVASU. On clinical examination, the animals had a high fever (106-107ºF), anemia, icteric mucus membranes, and prescapular lymph node enlargement. Whole blood and fine needle aspirate from the lymph node were collected. A blood smear examination revealed anemia, leucopenia with relative lymphocytosis, and thrombocytopenia. Further, there was the presence of schizonts (Koch blue bodies) in the lymphocytes and piroplasms of T. annulata in the red blood cells. Lymph node aspirate examination revealed the feature that mimics lymphoma by the presence of a monomorphic population of lymphoblasts and with all stages of mitotic figures along with lymphoglandular bodies. Numerous schizonts were also recorded in the lymphoblasts during the examination of lymph node aspirate.