The dynamics of erythrocyte infection in bovine anaplasmosis: A flow cytometry-based analysis

Anaplasma marginale (A. marginale) is an obligate intracellular bacterium that infects bovine erythrocytes causing extravascular hemolysis and anemia. In the present work, we combine SYTO16 labeling of parasitized cells with the statistical power of flow cytometry to study the evolution of erythrocyte infection during bovine anaplasmosis. •Two bovines were experimentally inoculated with A. marginale.•Erythrocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry using the DNA dye SYTO16.•Infected erythrocytes displayed a non-random distribution during rising parasitemia.•We identified two pools of erythrocytes during the onset of anemia.•Macrocytes do not appear to be infected by A. marginale.•Fluorescence intensity correlated with bacterial number within erythrocytes.