Bacteria Genomes - ANAPLASMA MARGINALE

A. marginale is an obligate intracellular bacteria. It is the most prevalent tick-borne pathogen of cattle worldwide and is endemic in tropical and subtropical regions of the world . A. marginale causes Anaplasmosis, an infectious blood disease which results in significant morbidity and mortality in cattle.

Anaplasma marginale invades the red blood cells of the host animal and multiplies, causing their destruction. The presence of the parasite in the red blood cells stimulates the cow's immune system to remove the affected cells from circulation and destroy them. This large scale destruction of red blood cells results in anaemia, fever, weight loss, respiratory distress, abortion and often death. Although some young, infected cattle tend to recover, they become life-time carriers or reservoirs of the disease.

The disease is transmitted most commonly by ticks. However, Anaplasmosis is also transmitted via contaminated needles, de-horning equipment, castrating knives, tattoo instruments, mosquitoes and biting flies.

Anaplasma marginale has also been noted in bison and deer.

References:

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/research_vmp/anagenome/
http://www.crc-vt.qimr.edu.au/media/anaplasma.html