Abstract
Gastrointestinal parasitic infections in small ruminants belong to major health problems. The regulation of gastrointestinal infections in goats and the responses developed against them appear to be different from those observed in sheep. In the literature, there is a lack of data on the effect of gastrointestinal parasitic infections on the serum protein profile in goats. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the electrophoretic pattern of serum proteins in goats naturally infected with gastrointestinal parasites and to compare the changes in the total serum proteins and serum protein fractions (albumin and α1-, α2-, β-, and γ-globulins) obtained after antihelminthic treatment. Eight adult female goats of the white shorthaired breed from a small dairy goat farm at the age ranging between 3 and 5 years with average body weight 35.4 ± 3.2 kg and body condition score (BCS) from 1.5 to 2.5 were used in the study. The serum proteins in goats were separated into five fractions: albumin, α1- and α2-globulins, and β- and γ-globulins. Significant changes after treatment were found in the relative concentrations of albumin (P < 0.01) and α2- (P < 0.05), β- (P < 0.001), and γ-globulins (P < 0.01), as well as albumin/globulin ratio (P < 0.01). The mean concentration of total serum proteins was, after the antiparasitic treatment, significantly higher. Among the globulin fractions, the γ-globulin fraction contributed most significantly to these changes (P < 0.001). The results presented in the study suggest a significant effect of antiparasitic treatment in goats on the synthesis of blood serum proteins and on the changes of the proportion of serum protein fractions.
Highlights
Gastrointestinal nematode infections in small ruminants belong to major health problems in the developing world and are most common in tropical and subtropical regions, but globally, they continue to be a major constraint for other areas, for poor developing countries [1, 2].e mild climate in countries of Central Europe allows animals to spend most of the year on pasture, where they usually are in contact with infective stages of parasites, which increase the risk of infection [3, 4]
It was described previously that the infections with gastrointestinal parasites in sheep are associated with changes in serum proteins, especially with the decrease of total serum protein and albumin concentrations, and alterations were found in the serum protein fractions [16, 17]
Even in cases with unchanged total serum protein concentrations, this laboratory technique may be useful to detect possible abnormalities in the serum protein pattern [22]. erefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the electrophoretic pattern of serum proteins in goats naturally infected with gastrointestinal parasites and to assess the changes in the concentrations of serum protein fractions obtained after anthelmintic treatment
Summary
Gastrointestinal nematode infections in small ruminants belong to major health problems in the developing world and are most common in tropical and subtropical regions, but globally, they continue to be a major constraint for other areas, for poor developing countries [1, 2].e mild climate in countries of Central Europe allows animals to spend most of the year on pasture, where they usually are in contact with infective stages of parasites, which increase the risk of infection [3, 4]. It was described previously that the infections with gastrointestinal parasites in sheep are associated with changes in serum proteins, especially with the decrease of total serum protein and albumin concentrations, and alterations were found in the serum protein fractions [16, 17]. Erefore, more studies on caprine species are needed to describe the impact of gastrointestinal helminthosis on biochemical parameters and responses of the organism associated with changes in the serum protein profile [18,19,20]. Erefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the electrophoretic pattern of serum proteins in goats naturally infected with gastrointestinal parasites and to assess the changes in the concentrations of serum protein fractions obtained after anthelmintic treatment Even in cases with unchanged total serum protein concentrations, this laboratory technique may be useful to detect possible abnormalities in the serum protein pattern [22]. erefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the electrophoretic pattern of serum proteins in goats naturally infected with gastrointestinal parasites and to assess the changes in the concentrations of serum protein fractions obtained after anthelmintic treatment
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