Fig. 1

Micrographs of stained-blood smears from selected blood pathogen species infected Kedah-Kelantan x Brahman cattle groups from Muadzam Pahang Malaysia (× 1000 magnification). Confirmation of the types of blood pathogens were based on PCR and sequence analysis of the PCR amplicons (A) Double-orange arrow shows Trypanosoma evansi in a Wright-stained thin blood smear of Kedah-Kelantan X Brahman cattle. Anisocytosis with mixture of large (macrocytes), normal and small (spherocytes) erythrocytes are prominent; the presence of echinocytes of this blood smear are more related to drying effect. Double-blue arrow shows spherocytes while black arrow head shows a macrocyte (B) A Wright-stained thin blood smear from Anaplasma platys + Theileria sinensis double species co-infected cattle showing the presence of echinocytes (orange arrow represents one of the ecchinocytes) and a macrocyte (blue arrow). Poikilocytosis and anisocytosis are evident. (C) A Wright-stained thin blood smear from Anaplasma marginale + T. orientalis double species co-infected cattle showing spherocyte (orange-arrow head)metamyelocyte (blue arrow), and lymphocyte (red arrow) with background erythrocytes of different sizes (anisocytosis), and rouleaux formation (black arrow). (D) Wright-stained thin blood smears from Theileria orientalis + T. sinensis double species co-infected cattle showing numerous erythrocytes with wide central pallor (hypochromasia) and different sizes (anisocytosis). Blue arrow shows a metamyelocyte (E) Wright-stained thin blood smear of C. M. haemobos + T. sinensis double species co-infected cattle showing marked rouleaux formation with normal erythrocyte size. (F) Thin blood smear from C. M. haemobos + T. sinensis + A. marginale triple species co-infected cattle showing poikilocytosis and anisocytosis (represented by triple blue arrows). Large lymphocyte (black arrow) and erythrocytes of varying sizes [(macrocytes, normal and spherocytes (triple blue arrows)], poikilocytosis and hypochromasia are evident. Orange arrowhead shows an echinocyte. Note: Macrocytes reflect the regenerative response of anaemia, spherocytes reflect an immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia (IMHA) state, metamyelocytes (indicates moderate left shift) and rouleaux formation reflect a systemic inflammatory response in the cattle