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Some biochemical indices in naturally occurring fascioliasis in goats
Research in Veterinary Science 1986, 40. 276-277
Some biochemical indices in naturally occurring fascioliasis in goats D. SWARUP, D. S. UPADHYAY, S. P. PACHAURI, College of Veterinary Sciences, 08 Pant University of Agriculture and Technology. Pantnagar, District Nainital, India
Some biochemical indices were assayed in goals naturally harbouring Fasciola gigantica infection and compared with uninfecled control goals. Infected goals had significantly lower levels of serum glucose (47'6 ± 1·8 mg dl- I ) and albumin (3'1 ± 0'1 g dl- I ) and reduced albumin:globulin ratio (1'1 ± 0'1). Total lipid (526· 8 ± 2· 4 mg dl- I ) , serum glutamate dehydrogenase (15,3 ± 0·9 iu litre l) and serum alkaline phosphatase (31,6 ± 1·9 Kind's and King's unit dl- I) were high in infected goals. No significanl changes could be recorded in serum total protein, cholesterol and phospholipids. r
GOATS playa significant role in subsistence agriculture in many countries and fascioliasis, caused by Fasciola gigantica in the Indian subcontinent, is a major limiting factor in the economy of goat husbandry leading to poor weight gain, poor carcase quality and liver condemnation. Surveys in some parts of India have shown that up to 49 per cent of pathological liver conditions in slaughtered sheep and goats are attributable to F gigantica infection (Nara and Nayak 1973). The changes occurring in host physiology in caprine fascioliasis have been reported by Hughes et al (1973, 1975), Nooruddin et al (1982) and Pulatov (1984). There exists a paucity of information on such pathophysiological changes associated with fascioliasis in Indian goats. The present communication records the profile of some biochemical components of goats with F gigantica infection. Non-lactating female goats, aged nine months to one year, slaughtered at different abattoirs in the Tarai region of Uttar Pradesh, India were examined and 22 affected with F gigantica were selected for study. Twelve uninfected animals
were controls. On the basis of the age of the goats, prevalent rearing systems, agroclimatic conditions and gross appearance of the liver, the infection appeared to be of approximately four months duration. It was also confirmed from the livestock owners that these goats did not receive any anthelmintic treatment before slaughter. Serum samples were collected aseptically, dispensed in four vials and 2 per cent sodium azide at 1:1000 dilution was added as preservative. Immediately after collection, I mg ml- I of sodium fluoride was added as preservative to the samples marked for glucose. The assay for glucose was carried out on the day of collection. The lipid and enzymatic activities were estimated within 48 hours of collection, while proteins were determined in one- to two-week-old samples stored at - 20°C. Serum glucose was estimated by the modified method of Hallman (1959). The total serum proteins were determined as described by Henry et al (1957) and albumin, globulin and albumin:globulin ratio by the method of Greenberg (1929). The total lipid was estimated by the method of Zoellner (1962), total cholesterol by the method of Ziatkis et al (1953) and total phospholipids by that of Zilversmit and Davis (1950). The activities of serum enzymes were determined as described by Bergmeyer (1974) for glutamate dehydrogenase and by the method of Kind and King (1954) for alkaline phosphatase. Flukes were recovered from the liver following the technique of Ross et al (1966) and were identified on the basis of their morphology as F gigantica. Recovered flukes were counted as mature and immature. Statistical analysis of data was done according to the method described by Snedecor and Cochran (1967).
TABLE 1: Some biochemical indices in goats naturally infected with
Fgigantica, and un infected controls
Mean ± SD
Serum glucose (mg dl- 1) Total serum protein (g dl- 1) Albumin (g dl- 1) Globulin (g dl- 1) Albumin:globulin ratio Total lipid (mg dl- 1) Total cholesterol (mg dl- 1) Total phospholipid (mg dl- 1) Glutamate dehydrogenase (iu litre-I) Alkaline phosphatase (Kind's and King's unit dl- 1)
(n=22)
t
Level of significance
value
(%)
58·0 ± 0·6 5·8 ± 0·2 3·4 ± 0·2 2-4 ± 0·1 1·4 ± 0·1 420·0 ± 51·3 97·0 ± 5·4 143·6 ± 10·4 6-4 ± 0·1
47·6 ± 1·8 5·9 ± 0·2 3·1 ± 0·1 2·8 ± 0·1 1·1 ±0·1 526·8 ± 2·4 100·6 ± 6·9 144·8 ± 13·2 15·3 ± 0·9
5·4 0·1 2·9 3·1 7·4 5·8 0·4 0·3 6·6
15·5 ± 2·7
31·6 ± 1·9
5·1
Control
Infected
(n=12)
NS Not significant
276
1
NS
1 1 1 1 NS NS
1
Biochemical indices in fascioliasis The infected goats had fluke burdens of three to 64 mature and zero to 56 immature F gigantica. The biochemical deviations consequent to this infection are represented in Table I. Fasciola infected goats were hypoglycaernic. This may be caused either by loss of appetite, or by disturbed carbohydrate metabolism because of inefficient conversion of propionic acid to glucose by the damaged livers. No significant change in total serum protein was recorded but the albumin and globulin values were found to be abnormal. Damage to the liver parenchyma caused by young migrating flukes may cause the low level of albumin. The high level of globulin is an indication of an immune response by the host. Nooruddin et al (1982) and Pulatov et al (1984) also reported hypoalbuminaemia, hyperglobulinaemia and a decreased albumin.globulin ratio in F gigantica infected goats. Infected goats showed hyperlipaemia without significant changes in total cholesterol and. phospholipid values. The hyperlipaemia observed could be associated with increases in other lipid components and may be secondary to the liver damage or loss in appetite. The increase in activity of glutamate dehydrogenase provides an indication of liver parenchymal damage and also the secondary effects on the liver of bile duct obstruction (Ford and Gopinath 1976). Hughes et al (1973, 1975) reported sorbitol dehydrogenase and glutamate dehydrogenase as sensitive indicators of low grade fasciola infection in goats. In the present report a significant rise in activity of glutamate dehydrogenase as well as alkaline phosphatase was observed. The latter is excreted in bile and the increase in enzyme activity may indicate obstruction of the hepatobiliary system (Hoffman et al 1977). Thus the recorded serum enzyme profile in the present study is indicative of both parenchymal and hepatobiliary damage. Acknowledgements We thank the dean of thc college for providing facilities
277
for work and Dr S. P. Singh of the department of bacteriology and public health for his kind cooperation. References BERGMEYER. H. U. (t974) Methods of Enzymatic Analysis. Vo12. New York. Academic Press. pp 752-756 !'ORD, E. J. H. & GOPINATH. C. (1976) Research in Veterinarv Science 21. 12-18 GREENBERG, D. M. (1929) Journal of Biological Chemistrv 82. 545-550 HALTMAN. E. (1959) Nature (London) 183, 108-109 HENRY. R. J .. SOBEL, C. & BERKMAN, S. (1957) Analytical Chemistry 29. 1491-1495 HO/·TMAN, W. E .• RENEGAR. W. E. & DORNER, J. L. (1977) American Journal of Veterinary Research 38, 1637-1639 HUGHES, D. L., TREACHER, R. J. & HARNESS. E. (1973) Research in Veterinary Science 15,249-255 HUGHES, D. L.. TREACHER, R. J. & HARNESS, E. (1975) Research in Veterinarv Science 17. 302-311 "IND, P. R. N. & "lNG, E. J. (1954) Journal oj Clinical Pathology 7.332-336 NARA, R. R. S. & NA YAK. B. C. (1973) Journal (~f Remount and Veterinary Corps II. 7- 15 NOORUDDIN. M. A., SAMAD, M. A. & RAHMAN, A. (1982) Haryuna Veterinarian 21. /33-136 PULATOV, (i. S. (1984) Veterinary Bullelin 54. 817 ROSS. J. G .• TODD. J. R. & DOW. C. (1%6) Journal of Comparative PalholoRY 76.67-81 SNEDECOR, G. W. & COCHRAN. W. G. (1%7) Stat istical Methods. New Delhi, Oxford and IBH Publishing Company ZILVERSMIT. D. B. & DAVIS. A. x. (1950) Journal oj Laboratory and Clinical Medicine 35. 155-160 ZLAT"IS. A .• ZA". B. & BOYLE, A. J. (1953) Journal (~r l.aboratorv and Clinical Medicine 41.486-492 ZOELLNER. N. & "IRSCH, ". (1982) Zeitschrift fur die gesumte experimentette Medizin 135.545-561
Received for publication Julv 25. /985 Accepted August 7. /985
Some biochemical indices in naturally occurring fascioliasis in goats D. SWARUP, D. S. UPADHYAY, S. P. PACHAURI, College of Veterinary Sciences, 08 Pant University of Agriculture and Technology. Pantnagar, District Nainital, India
Some biochemical indices were assayed in goals naturally harbouring Fasciola gigantica infection and compared with uninfecled control goals. Infected goals had significantly lower levels of serum glucose (47'6 ± 1·8 mg dl- I ) and albumin (3'1 ± 0'1 g dl- I ) and reduced albumin:globulin ratio (1'1 ± 0'1). Total lipid (526· 8 ± 2· 4 mg dl- I ) , serum glutamate dehydrogenase (15,3 ± 0·9 iu litre l) and serum alkaline phosphatase (31,6 ± 1·9 Kind's and King's unit dl- I) were high in infected goals. No significanl changes could be recorded in serum total protein, cholesterol and phospholipids. r
GOATS playa significant role in subsistence agriculture in many countries and fascioliasis, caused by Fasciola gigantica in the Indian subcontinent, is a major limiting factor in the economy of goat husbandry leading to poor weight gain, poor carcase quality and liver condemnation. Surveys in some parts of India have shown that up to 49 per cent of pathological liver conditions in slaughtered sheep and goats are attributable to F gigantica infection (Nara and Nayak 1973). The changes occurring in host physiology in caprine fascioliasis have been reported by Hughes et al (1973, 1975), Nooruddin et al (1982) and Pulatov (1984). There exists a paucity of information on such pathophysiological changes associated with fascioliasis in Indian goats. The present communication records the profile of some biochemical components of goats with F gigantica infection. Non-lactating female goats, aged nine months to one year, slaughtered at different abattoirs in the Tarai region of Uttar Pradesh, India were examined and 22 affected with F gigantica were selected for study. Twelve uninfected animals
were controls. On the basis of the age of the goats, prevalent rearing systems, agroclimatic conditions and gross appearance of the liver, the infection appeared to be of approximately four months duration. It was also confirmed from the livestock owners that these goats did not receive any anthelmintic treatment before slaughter. Serum samples were collected aseptically, dispensed in four vials and 2 per cent sodium azide at 1:1000 dilution was added as preservative. Immediately after collection, I mg ml- I of sodium fluoride was added as preservative to the samples marked for glucose. The assay for glucose was carried out on the day of collection. The lipid and enzymatic activities were estimated within 48 hours of collection, while proteins were determined in one- to two-week-old samples stored at - 20°C. Serum glucose was estimated by the modified method of Hallman (1959). The total serum proteins were determined as described by Henry et al (1957) and albumin, globulin and albumin:globulin ratio by the method of Greenberg (1929). The total lipid was estimated by the method of Zoellner (1962), total cholesterol by the method of Ziatkis et al (1953) and total phospholipids by that of Zilversmit and Davis (1950). The activities of serum enzymes were determined as described by Bergmeyer (1974) for glutamate dehydrogenase and by the method of Kind and King (1954) for alkaline phosphatase. Flukes were recovered from the liver following the technique of Ross et al (1966) and were identified on the basis of their morphology as F gigantica. Recovered flukes were counted as mature and immature. Statistical analysis of data was done according to the method described by Snedecor and Cochran (1967).
TABLE 1: Some biochemical indices in goats naturally infected with
Fgigantica, and un infected controls
Mean ± SD
Serum glucose (mg dl- 1) Total serum protein (g dl- 1) Albumin (g dl- 1) Globulin (g dl- 1) Albumin:globulin ratio Total lipid (mg dl- 1) Total cholesterol (mg dl- 1) Total phospholipid (mg dl- 1) Glutamate dehydrogenase (iu litre-I) Alkaline phosphatase (Kind's and King's unit dl- 1)
(n=22)
t
Level of significance
value
(%)
58·0 ± 0·6 5·8 ± 0·2 3·4 ± 0·2 2-4 ± 0·1 1·4 ± 0·1 420·0 ± 51·3 97·0 ± 5·4 143·6 ± 10·4 6-4 ± 0·1
47·6 ± 1·8 5·9 ± 0·2 3·1 ± 0·1 2·8 ± 0·1 1·1 ±0·1 526·8 ± 2·4 100·6 ± 6·9 144·8 ± 13·2 15·3 ± 0·9
5·4 0·1 2·9 3·1 7·4 5·8 0·4 0·3 6·6
15·5 ± 2·7
31·6 ± 1·9
5·1
Control
Infected
(n=12)
NS Not significant
276
1
NS
1 1 1 1 NS NS
1
Biochemical indices in fascioliasis The infected goats had fluke burdens of three to 64 mature and zero to 56 immature F gigantica. The biochemical deviations consequent to this infection are represented in Table I. Fasciola infected goats were hypoglycaernic. This may be caused either by loss of appetite, or by disturbed carbohydrate metabolism because of inefficient conversion of propionic acid to glucose by the damaged livers. No significant change in total serum protein was recorded but the albumin and globulin values were found to be abnormal. Damage to the liver parenchyma caused by young migrating flukes may cause the low level of albumin. The high level of globulin is an indication of an immune response by the host. Nooruddin et al (1982) and Pulatov et al (1984) also reported hypoalbuminaemia, hyperglobulinaemia and a decreased albumin.globulin ratio in F gigantica infected goats. Infected goats showed hyperlipaemia without significant changes in total cholesterol and. phospholipid values. The hyperlipaemia observed could be associated with increases in other lipid components and may be secondary to the liver damage or loss in appetite. The increase in activity of glutamate dehydrogenase provides an indication of liver parenchymal damage and also the secondary effects on the liver of bile duct obstruction (Ford and Gopinath 1976). Hughes et al (1973, 1975) reported sorbitol dehydrogenase and glutamate dehydrogenase as sensitive indicators of low grade fasciola infection in goats. In the present report a significant rise in activity of glutamate dehydrogenase as well as alkaline phosphatase was observed. The latter is excreted in bile and the increase in enzyme activity may indicate obstruction of the hepatobiliary system (Hoffman et al 1977). Thus the recorded serum enzyme profile in the present study is indicative of both parenchymal and hepatobiliary damage. Acknowledgements We thank the dean of thc college for providing facilities
277
for work and Dr S. P. Singh of the department of bacteriology and public health for his kind cooperation. References BERGMEYER. H. U. (t974) Methods of Enzymatic Analysis. Vo12. New York. Academic Press. pp 752-756 !'ORD, E. J. H. & GOPINATH. C. (1976) Research in Veterinarv Science 21. 12-18 GREENBERG, D. M. (1929) Journal of Biological Chemistrv 82. 545-550 HALTMAN. E. (1959) Nature (London) 183, 108-109 HENRY. R. J .. SOBEL, C. & BERKMAN, S. (1957) Analytical Chemistry 29. 1491-1495 HO/·TMAN, W. E .• RENEGAR. W. E. & DORNER, J. L. (1977) American Journal of Veterinary Research 38, 1637-1639 HUGHES, D. L., TREACHER, R. J. & HARNESS. E. (1973) Research in Veterinary Science 15,249-255 HUGHES, D. L.. TREACHER, R. J. & HARNESS, E. (1975) Research in Veterinarv Science 17. 302-311 "IND, P. R. N. & "lNG, E. J. (1954) Journal oj Clinical Pathology 7.332-336 NARA, R. R. S. & NA YAK. B. C. (1973) Journal (~f Remount and Veterinary Corps II. 7- 15 NOORUDDIN. M. A., SAMAD, M. A. & RAHMAN, A. (1982) Haryuna Veterinarian 21. /33-136 PULATOV, (i. S. (1984) Veterinary Bullelin 54. 817 ROSS. J. G .• TODD. J. R. & DOW. C. (1%6) Journal of Comparative PalholoRY 76.67-81 SNEDECOR, G. W. & COCHRAN. W. G. (1%7) Stat istical Methods. New Delhi, Oxford and IBH Publishing Company ZILVERSMIT. D. B. & DAVIS. A. x. (1950) Journal oj Laboratory and Clinical Medicine 35. 155-160 ZLAT"IS. A .• ZA". B. & BOYLE, A. J. (1953) Journal (~r l.aboratorv and Clinical Medicine 41.486-492 ZOELLNER. N. & "IRSCH, ". (1982) Zeitschrift fur die gesumte experimentette Medizin 135.545-561
Received for publication Julv 25. /985 Accepted August 7. /985