The genus Theileria includes tick-transmitted Apicomplexan parasites of ruminants with substantial economic impact in endemic countries. Amongst the Apicomplexa phylum, Theileria is the only genus which transforms its mammalian host cells. Theileria parva and Theileria annulata infect leukocytes where they induce phenotypes that are shared with some cancers such as immortalization, dissemination and hyper proliferation. Transformation of lymphocytes is induced during the schizont stage. The mechanism of host cell transformation induces constitutive activation of bovine transcription factors (NFkB) and associated signal transduction pathways. | Theileria-induced leukocyte transformation A parasite model for the study of Lympho proliferation
