Acute Phase Proteins, Hematobiochemical Profiles, Acid–base Balance and Blood Gas Alterations in Camel Calves Infested with Ticks

Abstract

This experiment was designed to assess the status of acute phase proteins (APPs) serum amyloid A (SAA) and haptoglobin, cardiac marker troponin I (cTnI), hematobiochemical profiles, acid-base and blood gas alterations in postnatal camel calves with tick infestation. Twenty-one camel calves (Camelus dromedarius), aged 1-4 weeks and weighing 30-65 kg were used. They were presented because of off milk, lethargy, recumbency and convulsions. Ten age-matched apparently healthy camel calves were used a control group. From both diseased and control groups, 3 blood samples were collected; one on EDTA for hematological analysis, the second on heparin for the determination of acid-base, blood gases, biochemical metabolites, electrolytes and lactate and the third on plain tubes for serum harvesting. Treatment has consisted of subcutaneous injection by ivermectin twice 15 days apart at a dose of 1mL per 50kg BW. Diseased calves were also sprayed with diazinon twice 72h apart at a concentration of 1mL/1L water. Hyalomma dromedarii predominated in all the diseased camel calves. Seventeen calves were presented in lateral recumbency position while the remaining 4 were admitted in sternal recumbency. The means ±SD of cTnI were 2.23±1.0 ng/mL versus 0.012±0.014 ng/mL in healthy animals. Serum concentrations of SAA in camel calves were 6.57±2.39 ng/mL in diseased versus 0.59±0.45 ng/mL in controls. Serum concentration of Hp were markedly elevated in camel with tick infestation (2.33±0.54mg/L in diseases group versus 0.25±0.26 mg/L in controls). There were significant increases in total white blood cells, lymphocytes and neutrophils in diseased camel calves compared to healthy ones. Red blood cells, hemoglobin and hematocrit were significantly lower in diseased group versus healthy calves. Serum concentrations of albumin, calcium, blood urea nitrogen and phosphorus differed significantly between diseased and healthy calves. The serum activity of alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, γ-glutamyl transferase and creatine kinase were significantly higher in tick infected camel calves versus healthy animals. The blood pH and anion gap were different significantly between diseased and healthy group. Highly significant differences were measured for lactate values in tick-infected calves competed to healthy group. In conclusion, this study showed that postnatal camel calves infested with Hyalomma dromedarii ticks had different clinical presentations either in lateral or sternal positions. Diseased calves have a prove of cardiac injury as a result of cTnI increases and acute phase reaction documented by significant alterations in SAA and haptoglobin. Unsound camel calves have also leukocytosis, anemia, metabolic acidosis and severe lactic acidosis.

Changes in the hematobiochemical, acid–base and blood gas elements as well as biomarkers of inflammation and bone metabolism in donkeys (Equus asinus) with acute bleeding

“…Complete acid-base and blood gas panel was measured immediately after the heparinized collected sample collection by a portable veterinary analyzer (I-STAT ® , Abaxis, USA). This panel included (1) pH, (2) oxygen partial pressure (PO 2 ), (3) carbon dioxide partial pressure (PCO 2 ), (4) total carbon dioxide (TCO 2 ), (5) excess of base (BE), (6) oxygen saturation (So 2 ), (7) bicarbonate (HCO 3 ), (8) anion gap (AG), and (9) lactate ( Tharwat et al ., 2014b , 2024a , b ; Tharwat and Al-Sobayil, 2014a , b , c ; Tharwat, 2015 , 2023 ; Tharwat and Al-Hawas, 2024 ).…”