Kinetics of infection with Theileria parva (East Coast fever) in the central lymph of cattle.

During the course of a lethal infection with Theileria parva in susceptible cattle, the dissemination of the parasite was examined in central lymph efferent from superficial lymph nodes in the thoracic duct. From the regional node, lymphocytes containing macroschizonts of T. parva were detected in efferent lymph 8 days after challenge where their appearance coincided with a dramatic increase in the output of lymphoblasts. The number of infected cells reached a maximum around Day 14, when 60-65% of efferent lymphocytes were parasitized. A severe reduction in the total cell output occurred after Day 14, at the time when widespread lymphocytosis was observed in the parent lymph node. A similar pattern of cellular kinetics was observed in the thoracic duct and in lymph efferent from lymph nodes distant from the site of challenge, although in the latter, the parasitosis reached only 10% of total cells. There was no selective depletion of parasitized cells from central lymph during the third week of infection, although the comparative parasitosis between lymph and lymph node cells indicated that infected cells entered central lymph less readily during this period. Macroschizonts appeared in cultures of lymphatic lymphocytes sampled between 5-9 days after challenge. These results, together with the failure of ablation of the regional lymph node 2, 3 or 5 days after challenge to delay the onset of the disease, indicated that dissemination of the infection from the site of challenge occurred within the first 2-3 days after the inoculation T. parva.