Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Sir Arnold Theiler and the discovery of anaplasmosis: a centennial perspective.
- Journal:
- The Onderstepoort journal of veterinary research
- Year:
- 2009
- Authors:
- Palmer, G H
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology and School for Global Animal Health · United States
Plain-English summary
This abstract discusses the important work of Sir Arnold Theiler, who in 1908 and 1909 discovered a germ called Anaplasma marginale, which causes a disease in cattle. He created a live vaccine using a weaker version of this germ to help protect animals from getting sick. His findings were groundbreaking and have been recognized for over a century, as they laid the foundation for understanding how this pathogen works and how it can be treated. Today, with advanced technology and knowledge, we can see the full importance of his observations about how the germ behaves and interacts with the body. Overall, his research has had a lasting impact on veterinary medicine and disease prevention.
Abstract
Sir Arnold Theiler's research in 1908/09 led to the discovery of the first rickettsial pathogen, Anaplasma marginale, and set the stage for his development and implementation of an effective live vaccine based on a less virulent strain, A. marginale ss. centrale. His 1910 report, describing A. marginale, is among the classic monographs in infectious disease research, presenting not only observations in exacting detail but also highlighting the deductive reasoning leading to association of a new pathogen with a specific disease. With a centennial perspective and both conceptual frameworks and molecular tools unimaginable in Theiler's time, the significance of several observations in the original report--cyclic bacteremia, strain superinfection, and taxonomic position--is now clear and highlight the broad applicability of key principles of pathogen biology.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19967931/