Hematology of experimental acute Sarcocystis bovicanis infection in calves. II. Serum biochemistry and hemostasis studies

Biochemical profile of blood in naturally occurring Sarcocystis infection in cattle

The aim of this study was to determine the biochemical blood indicators in Lithuanian Black-and-White cattle with regard to the intensity of their infection with Sarcocystis spp. In total 945 bull muscle samples and 120 blood samples were used for the analysis. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were increased in infected animals relative to uninfected animals. The AST levels differed significantly between the no infection, low, and moderate infection groups (P < 0.05); ALP differed between the no infection and moderate infection groups (P < 0.05); and ALT differed between the no infection, low infection and intense infection groups (P < 0.05). Total protein levels were higher than physiological limits and differed significantly between the no infection, low infection and intense infection groups (P < 0.05). Iron levels were at the lowest physiological limits and differed significantly between the no infection and low infection groups, as well as between the low infection and intense infection groups (P < 0.05). Triglyceride levels were at their physiological limits, and differed significantly between all examined groups (P < 0.05). The results show that changes in the biochemical markers ALP, AST and ALT are related to the intensity of the Sarcocystis spp. infection.

Lactate dehydrogenase (LD), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) isoenzymatic patterns in Iraqi children with visceral leishmaniasis before and after treatment with stibogluconate

The mean levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase enzymes exhibited a significant elevation in visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients compared to the control. There was no significant change in relation to the sex and age. ALP isoenzymes revealed three banding patterns which differ from the three zymodems which were obtained from control group. These differences may be due to isoenzymes activity of patients with VL before and after therapy. Lactate dehydrogenase (LD) isoenzymes revealed five banding patterns differ from the five normal zymodems. These differences mainly occurred due to LD isoenzymes activity in patients with VL before and after therapy.

Blood clotting disorders during experimental sarcocystiosis in calves

The effects of experimental infection of calves with Sarcocystis cruzi on the blood coagulation cascade were investigated. Calves were inoculated orally with 1 x 10(5) sporocysts (group S1, n = 6) or with 5 x 10(5) sporocysts of S. cruzi (group S2, n = 3). A group of eight calves served as non-infected controls (group C). The animals were bled once during the first 4 weeks of infection and twice a week thereafter until day 40 p.i. The following parameters were measured: activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, thrombin time, reptilase time, thrombin coagulase time, factors XII, XI, X, IX, VIII:C, VII, V, prekallikrein, fibrinogen, alpha 2-antiplasmin, antithrombin III, alpha 1-antitrypsin, alpha 2-macroglobulin, haematocrit, haemoglobin, numbers of erythrocytes and thrombocytes. The infected calves developed acute sarcocystiosis from 25 (S1) or 29 (S2) days p.i. onwards. During the acute disease, antiproteases tended to elevated values and thrombocyte counts were generally reduced. In group S1 prolonged prothrombin time and reduced activities of factors VII or V were found. In group S2 accelerated prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time, as well as elevated factor X activities, were recorded even before the onset of clinical disease at 19 days p.i. While prothrombin time returned to normal levels thereafter, activated partial thromboplastin time remained short. Activities of factor V, factor VII and factor X were significantly reduced in group S2 at the onset of acute sarcocystiosis, and one of the three calves died at 29 days p.i. The other parameters were not significantly affected by either dose of infection. No evidence for a classical disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome could be found; however, it was demonstrated that S. cruzi alters plasma coagulation in a dose-dependent way.

Lipid metabolism and Sarcocystis miescheriana infection in growing swine

Sixteen 2-month-old pigs were divided into four equal groups and infected with either 500,000, 1,000,000 or 3,000,000 sporocysts of Sarcocystis miescheriana. Four pigs served as uninfected controls. Pigs were bled weekly and serum was collected beginning 14 days prior to infection and continuing until 63 days after infection. Body fat composition, as measured by the specific gravity of the carcass, was not affected by infection. There were no significant effects of infection on serum concentrations of glucose, insulin, triglycerides, and total, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. A slight depression in HDL cholesterol occurred during the acute phase of infection. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) was not detected in serum from infected swine when assayed by a cytotoxicity assay using TNF-sensitive WEHI 164 clone 13 cells. Attempts to stimulate TNF production in RAW 264.7 cells with parasitic lysates gave mixed results. This study suggests that the disruption of lipid metabolism is not the primary cause of growth retardation in growing swine infected with S. miescheriana.

Hemostatic alterations in pigs fed sublethal doses of Sarcocystis miescheriana

Effects of non-lethal Sarcocystis miescheriana infections on the blood coagulation system were investigated. Nine pigs were inoculated orally with 2 X 10(5) sporocysts (Group A) and nine pigs (Group B) served as non-infected controls. Blood samples were taken from the vena jugularis externa every 2 or 3 days until 19 days post-infection (dpi). The following parameters were investigated: partial thromboplastin time (PTT), prothrombin time (PT), thrombin time (TT), thrombin coagulase time (TCT), fibrinogen (FIB), factor (F) VIII, F XI, F XII, antithrombin III (AT III), alpha 2 macroglobulin (alpha 2 MG), alpha 2 antiplasmin (alpha 2 AP), pre-kallikrein (PK), and the number of circulating thrombocytes. All infected pigs suffered from acute sarcocystiosis between 12 and 19 dpi. Clinical illness was most severe from 14 to 17 dpi. At this time, PTT and FIB increased, and TT and TCT decreased slightly. The activities of the clotting factors increased at 17 and 19 dpi. However, only F VIII activity was significantly higher in the infected pigs than in the controls at 17 and 19 dpi. PK was significantly lower in the infected pigs at 12, 14, and 17 dpi. Thrombocyte counts were reduced with the onset of the acute phase of illness and some pigs had marked thrombocytopenia. These results indicate low-grade disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in the course of mild S. miescheriana infections in pigs.

The effects of Sarcocystis miescheriana infections on blood enzymes and weight gain of stress-sensitive and stress-insensitive pigs

The effects of mild Sarcocystis miescheriana infection on blood enzymes and body weight were compared in stress-sensitive (halothane positive) and in stress-insensitive (halothane negative) pigs. Ten halothane-positive pigs (Group A) and ten halothane-negative pigs (Group C) with a mean body weight of 36 kg were each inoculated orally with 50,000 sporocysts of S. miescheriana. Twelve halothane-positive pigs (Group B) and ten halothane-negative pigs (Group D) served as non-infected controls. Five days before infection (a.i.) and 58 days post infection (p.i.) all pigs were myostress challenged (creatine kinase test). During the whole period of the experiment (3 weeks a.i. to 13 weeks p.i.) body weights were determined and blood samples taken at weekly intervals. Creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) and Sarcocystis antibody titres were determined. The infection induced slightly elevated temperatures (max. 42.8 degrees C) and transient reduced food intake during the 2nd and 3rd week p.i. The CK values of the infected pigs in Groups A and C increased from Day 28 p.i. onwards, and were significantly higher than those of the pigs of the non-infected controls (Days 35-77 p.i.). The ASAT values of the infected groups (A and C) increased from Day 21 p.i. onwards, and were significantly higher than those of the non-infected controls from Days 28-77 p.i. The myostress injection at 5 days a.i. (1st CK test) resulted in significantly higher CK and ASAT values in stress-sensitive pigs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Clinical, haematological and plasma biochemical changes in specified-pathogen-free (sporozoa) lambs experimentally infected with low numbers of Sarcocystis tenella sporocysts

Two groups of lambs raised free of sporozoan infection were inoculated with Sarcocystis tenella sporocysts and compared with controls. Lambs from Group 1 were inoculated with 5000 sporocysts and those in Group 2 were given 20,000. Transient increases in rectal temperatures occurred between 23 and 39 days post-inoculation (dpi), although the lambs appeared normal and retained their appetites. Packed cell volumes (PCV) of lambs given 20,000 sporocysts decreased dramatically from 28 to 38 dpi after which they slowly returned to near pre-inoculation levels by 99 dpi. The anaemia was normocytic/normochromic. White cell counts (WCC) rose in infected lambs from 49 dpi, reflecting principally an increase in lymphocyte numbers. Plasma albumin of Group 2 decreased at 28 dpi and remained depressed until the experiment was terminated at 99 dpi. Plasma globulin of infected groups increased from 31 (Group 2) and 35 dpi (Group 1). Plasma alkaline phosphatase (ALP) of Group 2 decreased from 28 dpi and remained depressed to 99 dpi. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) of Group 2 was elevated at 24 and 28 dpi and from 42 to 78 dpi, while aspartate aminotransferase (AST) of the same group was elevated from 45 to 66 dpi. Creatine kinase (CK) of Group 2 was elevated from 52 to 71 dpi.

Hematologic values in calves infected with Sarcocystis cruzi

Calves were inoculated with 2 X 10(5) Sarcocystis cruzi sporocysts. Red cell mass decreased dramatically between Days 21 and 35 post-infection and plasma volume increased concurrently, so that blood volume did not change significantly. Mild reticulocytosis and increased pyrimidine 5' nucleotidase activity in erythrocytes occurred between Days 35 and 42. Antiglobulin tests with anti-bovine IgG, IgM and C3 were negative, with the exception of a positive test for C3 in 1 of 6 infected calves.

Haematological and biochemical changes in buffalo calves inoculated with Sarcocystis fusiformis from cats

Two groups of buffalo calves were infected with Sarcocystis fusiformis sporocysts. Animals of the first group received each 5 X 10(5) sporocysts, those of the second group 5 million sporocysts. All calves were clinically normal during 6 weeks after infection. Minor changes were observed in the blood cytology, serum alkaline phosphatase, glutamic oxalacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, total proteins, urea and glucose of infected buffalo calves.

Hematology of experimental acute Sarcocystis bovicanis infection in calves. I. Cellular and serologic changes

Of four Holstein-Friesian calves infected with 200,000 sporocysts of Sarcocystis bovicanis, three became ill and died on days 35, 55, and 59 of a 63-day experiment. No control calves became ill or died. Three of the four infected calves developed normocytic normochromic anemia with about a 50% decrease in hemoglobin concentration on days 25 through 35, and had hyperbilirubinemia from day 25 or 26 to death (day 35); this disappeared when the anemia stabilized in surviving calves. Packed cell volume increased slowly after day 35 in the surviving anemic calves. Indirect and direct Coombs' tests were negative throughout the experiment in the control and infected calves. A reduction in numbers of neutrophils and lymphocytes paralleled the crisis of anemia in the infected calves. Serum antibody titers to S. bovicanis antigen were increased substantially in all infected calves 35 days or more after inoculation.