The major clinical symptom of Japanese bovine theileriosis, caused by the intraerythrocytic protozoan Theileria sergenti, is anemia, but the precise mechanism of this anemia remains unknown. To clarify the pathogenesis of anemia developing in bovine theileriosis, we investigated the destructive alteration of red blood cells (RBC) in cattle infected with Theileria sergenti. The levels of autoantibody(IgG)-bound RBC, intracellular peroxides, and membrane lipoperoxides accompanying anemia were examined in experimentally infected cattle. Before the development of anemia, the levels of all these indices were low; however, during the onset of anemia, these levels began to increase remarkably in proportion to the decrease of packed cell volume in all infected cattle. During the well-advanced stage of anemia, these destructive indices in the RBC also showed the maximum value. Our findings indicate that membrane modification and oxidative damage in the RBC are related to the development of anemia in T. sergenti infection. These destructive alterations in the RBC might play an important role in the pathogenesis of anemia in Japanese bovine theileriosis. (Clinical Biochemistry Section, Hokkaido Research Station TEL +81-11-851-5226)
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