Systemic acute phase proteins response in calves experimentally infected with Eimeria zuernii

Abstract

Acute phase proteins (APPs) have been demonstrated to be useful in evaluating general health stress and diseases in cattle. Serum amyloid A (SAA) and haptoglobin (Hp) are APPs that are produced during inflammation, and likely play a role in host immunological defence against Eimeria infection and the associated intestinal tissue damage. We investigated the involvement of SAA and HP in an experimental study, including three groups of calves: a control group (group 0, n=11), and two groups infected with either 150,000 or 250,000 Eimeria zuernii oocysts (group 1 (n=11) and group 2 (n=12), respectively). The calves were monitored for 28 days and data was collected on oocyst excretion, faecal score, animal weight, and SAA and Hp serum concentrations. Generalized linear mixed models showed that the clinical symptoms, indicated by an increase in the number of oocysts in the faeces and severe diarrhoea, manifested at patency for group 1 and 2. Serum Hp and SAA levels also increased during this period. Hp appeared to be a more sensitive marker than SAA, and differences between groups 1 and 2 were observed only for Hp. Linear regression models showed a negative association between weight gain and Hp concentrations, calculated as the area under the curve (AUC) during the overall experimental period and the patency period. A similar result was seen for SAA only during the patency period. This result supports the assumption that reduced weight gain due to E. zuernii infection is an immunologically driven process that involves an increase in APPs. A random intercept regression model of oocyst shedding groups showed that calves shedding 1-500 oocysts had reduced concentrations of Hp, indicating that a different immunological reaction occurs during mild shedding of E. zuernii oocysts than during more intensive shedding. A similar model was used to examine associations between faecal scores and Hp concentrations for each group. Group 2 calves with haemorrhagic diarrhoea displayed higher Hp levels than calves in that group with lower faecal scores, which may be in response to an increased demand for Hp in the repair process as a result of haemolysis. APPs seem to play an important role in determining the course of E. zuernii infection in calves, which may enhance our understanding of the immunological reaction and development of this disease.

Changes in biochemical analytes in calves infected by nematode parasites in field conditions

“…In D. viviparous experimental infection, the Hp concentration showed a peak 14 days after inoculation with L3 larvae, and although the animals had clinical signs of the infection (Gånheim et al, 2004), the Hp concentration was similar to our findings. These results were also similar to experimental infection with oocysts of Eimeria zuernii in calves, as Hp concentration peaked at 24 days after inoculation (Lassen et al, 2015), reaching similar Hp concentrations that were found in the group of GI parasites, demonstrating an inflammatory response caused by the effect of nematode and protozoan parasites in the small intestine mucosae.…”

“…In the case of GI parasites, the cause of increases in Hp could be the damage caused to the GI tract, whereas in the lung parasites the increases in Hp could reflect subclinical chronic parasitic bronchitis and pneumonia caused by D. viviparous infection (Radostits et al, 2007). Increased Hp concentrations in calves were described in experimental D. viviparous and Eimeira zuernii infections (Gånheim et al, 2004;Lassen et al, 2015).…”

Cryptosporidium outbreak in calves on a large dairy farm: Effect of treatment and the association with the inflammatory response and short-term weight gain

“…Giardia infections can be chronic and last for months (Grit et al, 2014). Giardia and Eimeria have multifactorial pathogenesis that leads to microvilli alteration, diarrhoea, and weight loss in production animals (Olson et al, 1995;Geurden et al, 2010;Lassen et al, 2015). In a recent study, Giardia infection was also associated with haemorrhagic diarrhoea in calves (Lee et al, 2016).…”

“…In response to APR, the concentrations of specific acute phase proteins (APP), serum amyloid A (SAA) and haptoglobin (HP), can increase in ruminant serum > 1000-fold (Ceciliani et al, 2012;Eklund et al, 2012). In cases of viral (foot-and-mouth disease and bovine respiratory syncytial virus) or parasitic (Eimeria and Cryptosporidium) infections, APP concentrations can increase in domestic ruminants' blood serum (Orro et al, 2011;Pourjafar et al, 2011;Stenfeldt et al, 2011;Lassen et al, 2015). In neonatal calves, APPs go through significant changes during first 2 to 3 weeks of life (Orro et al, 2008;Tóthová et al, 2015), suggesting that APPs have a role in the adaptation of neonate calves to the new environment.…”

Analysis and comparison of tear protein profiles in dogs using different tear collection methods

“…A higher serum haptoglobin level was found in calves infected with Eimeria Zuernii than in the control, which may be in response to an increased demand for haptoglobin in the repair process as a result of haemolysis. An in ammatory stimulus will upregulate the hepatic synthesis of haptoglobin [44]. Induced myeloid leukemia cell differentiation protein Mcl-1 homolog, also known as Bcl2-L-3, is encoded by MCL1.…”