Serum levels of conglutinin, complement, and immunoconglutinin in cattle infected with Anaplasma marginale.

Sera from 10 splenectomized yearling cattle given massive doses of Anaplasma marginale (peracute cases) were assayed for conglutinin and complement. Sera from 5 nonsplenectomized yearling cattle given smaller doses (acute cases) were assayed for conglutinin, immunoconglutinin, and complement. In the peracute cases, conglutinating activity disappeared within 6 days after the cattle inoculated. In the acute cases, conglutining began to disappear at 3 weeks after inoculation and had disappeared at peak parasitemia at 4 weeks. Conglutinin returned by 7 weeks after inoculation. In the same acute cases, immunoconglutinain appeared at 6 weeks after inoculation and then slowly disappeared. The complement levels in the peracute and acute cases did not change appreciably.