Determination of adenosine deaminase activity in cattle naturally infected with Theileria annulata

The purpose of this study was to determine serum ADA activity in cattle naturally infected with Theileria annulata. In this study, a total of 37 cross-bred cattle which 27 of it showing clinical signs of theileriosis constituted infected group and 10 healthy cattle as control group were used as animal materials. Infected group divided into three groups according to their PCV values. Cattle with PCV > or = 25 were put on group I (n = 9), those with PCV 13-24 were put on group II (n = 11) and those with PCV < or = 12 were put on group III (n = 7). Microscopical diagnosis of the disease was also made. Hematological parameters, serum enzyme activities (ADA, AST, ALT and ALP) were determined in all cattle. Hematological results revealed that significant progressive decreases in HGB, PLT, PBML counts and ratios from group I onwards to group III, whereas the WBC, PBPL counts and ratios showed an increase from group I onwards to group III. The serum ADA, AST, ALT and ALP activity increased significantly in all infected groups compared to control group. However, these parameters were also observed to decrease progressively from group I to group III. Furthermore, the highest increase in enzyme activities observed in the infected group I. But, these enzyme's activities started to decrease in infected group II and III in parallel with PBML and PLT counts. Eventhough, this decrease did not reach to the values obtained from control group. On the contrary, PBPL counts and ratios increased in infected group II and III in contrast to decrease in PCV. As a result, increased serum ADA activity in tropical theileriosis may reflect the involvement of the cellular immune responses.