Plasma C‐Reactive Protein and Haptoglobin Concentrations in Critically Ill Neonatal Foals

Background

Accurate diagnostic markers for sepsis in neonatal foals are needed. Plasma C‐reactive protein concentration (p[CRP]) and haptoglobin concentration (p[Hp]) are well‐established biomarkers of infection in humans, but studies are lacking in foals.

Hypotheses

p[CRP]) and p[Hp] are increased in septic foals compared to sick nonseptic and healthy control foals, and are predictive of survival.

Animals

Eighty critically ill foals (40 septic, 40 sick nonseptic) and 39 healthy control foals <1 week of age.

Methods

Multicenter, prospective observational clinical study. Venous blood was collected at admission from septic and sick nonseptic foals and from clinically healthy foals at 24 h of age. A diagnosis of sepsis was made based on positive blood culture or a sepsis score >11, and p[CRP] and p[Hp] were measured by using ELISA tests. Data were analyzed by using the Mann‐Whitney U‐test and forward stepwise multivariable linear regression. P < .05 was considered significant.

Results

Plasma [CRP] was positively associated with age, serum globulin, adrenomedullin, and bilirubin concentrations, aspartate aminotransferase activity, glutamyl‐transferase activity, band neutrophil count, and rectal temperature, and was increased in foals with toxic neutrophils, enterocolitis, colic, rib fractures and septic arthritis. Surprisingly, p[Hp] was lower in septic foals than in sick nonseptic foals. Neither p[CRP] or p[Hp] was predictive of survival in critically ill foals.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Plasma [CRP] increases with inflammation in neonatal foals but is not indicative of sepsis. Single time point, admission sampling of p[CRP] and p[Hp] do not appear to be useful biomarkers for sepsis in foals.     

Acute phase proteins in cattle after exposure to complex stress

Stressors such as weaning, mixing and transportation have been shown to lead to increased blood concentrations of acute phase proteins (APP), including serum amyloid A (SAA) and haptoglobin, in calves. This study was therefore undertaken to assess whether SAA and haptoglobin levels in blood mirror stress in adult cattle. Six clinically healthy Holstein cows and two Holstein heifers were transported for four to six hours to a research facility, where each animal was housed in solitary tie stalls. Blood samples for evaluation of leukocyte counts and serum SAA and haptoglobin concentrations were obtained before (0-sample) and at 8, 24 and 48 hours after the start of transportation. Upon arrival the animals gave the impression of being anxious, and they appeared to have difficulty coping with isolation and with being tied on the slippery floors of the research stable. Serum concentrations of SAA and haptoglobin increased significantly in response to the stressors (P < 0.01 and 0.05 at 48 hours, respectively). Additionally, the animals had transient neutrophilia at 8 and 24 hours (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the results of the study suggest that SAA and haptoglobin may serve as markers of stress in adult cattle.     

Consecutive pathological and immunological alterations during experimentally induced swine dysentery - a study performed by repeated endoscopy and biopsy samplings through an intestinal cannula

The development of intestinal lesions after inoculation with Brachyspira hyodysenteriae was followed by repeated endoscopy and biopsy sampling through a caecal cannula. Seven eight-week-old pigs were cannulated and inoculated, two were cannulated but not inoculated, and two pigs were inoculated but not cannulated. Endoscopy, biopsy, and blood sampling to determine SAA (serum amyloid A), haptoglobin, cortisol, and WBC counts were performed at scheduled time-points. At the third day of disease, endoscopy showed a hyperaemic, perturbed mucosa and excessive amount of mucus. Histologically, crypt hyperplasia, depletion of goblet cell mucus, and erosions were noted. Simultaneously, elevated acute phase proteins and circulating monocytes, and decreased number of intraepithelial CD3(+) cells were observed. After five days the pigs recovered. Intestinal lesions were demarcated and interspersed among apparently normal mucosa and blood parameters returned to initial values. Endoscopy through an intestinal cannula made it possible to follow the development of intestinal alterations in vivo and describe the sequential events during the course of swine dysentery. The number of animals used in a study could thus be minimised and the precision of the experiment increased.     

Serum Amyloid A and Haptoglobin Concentrations and Liver Fat Percentage in Lactating Dairy Cows with Abomasal Displacement

Background: There has been increased interest in measuring the serum concentration of acute phase reactants such as serum amyloid A [SAA] and haptoglobin [haptoglobin] in periparturient cattle in order to provide a method for detecting the presence of inflammation or bacterial infection.
Objectives: To determine whether [SAA] and [haptoglobin] are increased in cows with displaced abomasum as compared with healthy dairy cows.
Animals: Fifty-four adult dairy cows in early lactation that had left displaced abomasum (LDA, n = 34), right displaced abomasum or abomasal volvulus (RDA/AV, n = 11), or were healthy on physical examination (control, n = 9).
Materials and Methods: Inflammatory diseases or bacterial infections such as mastitis, metritis, or pneumonia were not clinically apparent in any animal. Jugular venous blood was obtained from all cows and analyzed. Liver samples were obtained by biopsy in cattle with abomasal displacement.
Results: [SAA] and [haptoglobin] concentrations were increased in cows with LDA or RDA/AV as compared with healthy controls. Cows with displaced abomasum had mild to moderate hepatic lipidosis, based on liver fat percentages of 9.3 ± 5.3% (mean ± SD, LDA) and 10.8 ± 7.7% (RDA/AV). [SAA] and [haptoglobin] were most strongly associated with liver fat percentage, r _s=+0.55 ( P < .0001) and r _s=+0.42 ( P = .0041), respectively.
Conclusions and Clinical Importance: An increase in [SAA] or [haptoglobin] in postparturient dairy cows with LDA or RDA/AV is not specific for inflammation or bacterial infection. An increase in [SAA] or [haptoglobin] may indicate the presence of hepatic lipidosis in cattle with abomasal displacement.     

青海黑白花奶牛血清亲血色蛋白的多态性

采用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶圆盘电泳法对西宁地区１６２头青海黑白花奶牛血清亲血色蛋白的多态性进行了研究。结果查明：血清亲血色蛋白有Ｈｐ１－１，Ｈｐ１－２和Ｈｐ２－２三种表型，其中Ｈｐ１－１为优势表型（７４．３８％）。根据Ｈｐ表型受一对共显性等位基因Ｈｐ￣１和Ｈｐ￣２控制的假设，其等位基因频率分别为０．８２５０和０．１７５０。     

猞猁血液蛋白质和酶的电泳分析

采用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳法对４只猞猁的４种血液蛋白质表型以及４种血清酶和５种红细胞酶的同工酶酶谱进行研究。结果发现：（１）被检猞猁的血红蛋白（ＨＢ），亲血色蛋白（Ｈｐ），后白蛋白（Ｐａ）和运铁蛋白（ＴＦ）分别显现单一的ＨＢ ＦＳ，Ｈｐ １－１，Ｐａ ＦＳ和ＴＦ ＡＡ型；（２）在红细胞中，淀粉酶（ＡＭＹ）和酯酶（ＥＳ）不显现酶活性区带，乳酸脱氢酶（ＬＤＨ）和碱性磷酸酶（ＡＬＰ）呈现单一的同工酶酶谱，超     

青海藏獒血液蛋白质和红细胞钾浓度多态性的研究

采用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳法和火焰光度计法对２１条青海藏獒的血红蛋白，亲血蛋白和红细胞钾浓度的多态性进行了研究。结果表明：１．藏獒的血红蛋白呈单态，现显单一的ＨＢＢＢ型，基相对迁移率为３９．２９％；２．亲血色蛋白有ＨＰ＾＋和ＨＰＯ两种表型；其表型频率分别为０．９０４８和０．０９５２；（３）红细胞钾浓度呈现单一的低血钾型。     

Acute phase proteins response in cats naturally infected by hemotropic mycoplasmas

Information about the acute phase proteins (APP) response in cats naturally infected with hemoplasmas and in cats co-infected with different species of hemoplasmas is lacking.This study evaluated serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp) and albumin in 48 cats naturally infected with hemoplasmas, including 25 with Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum and 23 co-infected with different hemoplasmas agents; and in 10 healthy control cats.Infected cats had significantly higher Hp and lower albumin than controls. Symptomatic cats had significantly higher SAA and Hp, and lower albumin than asymptomatic animals, and also than controls. Asymptomatic cats had significantly higher Hp than controls. Concentrations of APP were not significantly different between single infected and co-infected cats.According with these results, hemoplasmosis should be considered when alterations in APP are detected in diseased cats with compatible clinical signs. Furthermore, a subclinical infection should be considered in apparently healthy cats from endemic areas with increased Hp.     

Selected Biochemical Indicators of Equine Rhabdomyolysis in Arabian Horses: Acute Phase Proteins and Trace Elements

Although creatine kinase (CK), aspartate transaminase (AST), cytokines, and oxidative stress parameters were shown to be useful biomarkers for diagnosis of equine rhabdomyolysis, additional biomarkers of the disease may be of interest to indicate prognosis of the disease. Therefore, the present study investigated acute phase proteins and trace elements as additional biomarkers of ER. Sixty male horses (4-6 years old) of 2 equal groups were used. Horses of the first group were clinically healthy and served as a control group, whereas horses of the second group were ER-diseased animals. Harvested sera were used for estimation of the activities of CK, AST, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp), ceruloplasmin (Cp), copper, iron, and zinc, whereas plasma samples were used for determination of fibrinogen. The present findings revealed a significant (P ≤ .05) increase in values of CK, AST, and LDH in diseased horses compared to those in control values. In addition, a significant (P ≤ .05) increase in SAA (162.6 ± 5.32 mg/L), Hp (3.6 ± 0.54 g/L), Cp (39.32 ± 2.31 mg/L), and copper (28.36 ± 1.23 μmol/L) along with a significant (P ≤ .05) reduction in levels of iron (9.32 ± 0.23 μmol/L) and zinc (8.65 ± 1.02 μmol/L) was recorded in diseased horses compare to that in controls (11.3 ± 2.2 mg/L, 0.8 ± 0.2 g/L, 24.23 ± 1.32 mg/L, 18.41 ± 1.03 μmol/L, and 14.2 ± 0.42 μmol/L, respectively). In conclusion, SAA, Hp, Cp, copper, and zinc were useful prognostic biomarkers for the diagnosis of ER in Arabian horses.     

Meat juice: An alternative matrix for assessing animal health by measuring acute phase proteins. Correlations of pig-MAP and haptoglobin concentrations in pig meat juice and plasma

Quantification of acute phase proteins (APPs) in blood can be used for monitoring animal health and welfare on farms, and could be also of interest for the detection of diseased animals during the meat inspection process. However serum or plasma is not always available for end-point analysis at slaughter. Meat juice might provide an adequate, alternative matrix that can be easily obtained for post-mortem analysis at abattoirs. The concentrations of pig Major Acute phase Protein (pig-MAP) and haptoglobin, two of the main APPs in pigs, were determined in approximately 300 paired samples of plasma and meat juice from the diaphragm (pars costalis), obtained after freezing and thawing the muscle. APPs concentrations in meat juice were closely correlated to those in plasma (r = 0.695 for haptoglobin, r = 0.858 for pig-MAP, p < 0.001). These results open new possibilities for the assessment of animal health in pig production, with implications for food safety and meat quality.