Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Animal trypanosomosis (such as Surra caused by Trypanosoma evansi or nagana caused by Trypanosoma congolense) is a major protozoan disease of livestock.
A hallmark physiological change in affected animals is a rapid and persistent decline in the packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell count, and hemoglobin concentration.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us evaluate both statements:
1. Assertion A: One of the major clinical signs in trypanosomosis is progressive anaemia
This statement is correct.
Anemia is the most consistent and clinically significant feature of both acute and chronic trypanosomosis.
The severity of the anemia usually correlates with the level of parasitemia.
Therefore, Assertion A is true.
2. Reason R: Anaemia occurs due to depression in erythropoiesis, erythrophagocytosis, lysis of RBCs due to hemolysins produced by trypanosomes, hemodilution, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy and mechanical destruction of RBCs due to lashing movement of trypanosomes
This statement is correct.
The pathogenesis of anemia in trypanosomosis is multi-factorial, involving both extravascular and intravascular pathways:
- Erythrophagocytosis: Macrophages in the spleen, liver, and bone marrow become hyperactive and engulf both damaged and normal erythrocytes.
- Hemolysins: Trypanosomes produce metabolic by-products and toxins that directly lyse red blood cells.
- Mechanical Damage: The active flagellar lashing movement of the extracellular trypanosomes physically damages red blood cells in circulation.
- Depressed Erythropoiesis: Chronic inflammatory responses lead to iron sequestration and bone marrow depression.
- Hemodilution: An increase in plasma volume dilutes the remaining red blood cells.
- DIC: Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy damages microvasculature, leading to further erythrocyte destruction.
Since this multi-factorial mechanism directly explains why progressive anemia occurs in infected hosts, Reason R is the correct explanation of Assertion A.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Both Assertion A and Reason R are true, and Reason R provides the exact pathological explanation for Assertion A.
Therefore, the correct answer is option (A).