Separation of bovine erythrocytes infected with Theileria sergenti by "Percoll-Conray" density gradient.

Abstract
"Percoll-Conray" density gradient centrifugation was applied to separate Theileria sergenti-parasitized erythrocytes obtained from three T. sergenti-infected splenectomized calves. Administration of dexamethasone was effective in increased the number of parasitized erythrocytes in T. sergenti infected calves, and the mean parasitemia reached 39.9% within 22 days after commencement of dexamethasone treatment. A significant increase in the number of parasitized cells was observed in the low dense fraction following the density gradient centrifugation and reached an average of 2.1 times (maximum percentage of parasitized cells : 64.8%) the pre-centrifuged number of the parasitized cells.