Abstract
The natural immune response to infectious agents is partially mediated by a group of proteins named acute phase proteins; one of the major and most important proteins from the acute phase is the C-Reactive Protein (CRP). The aim of the present study was to investigate the correlation between alterations on white blood cell counts (WBC) and the presence of circulating CRP. Blood samples from 70 dogs were submitted to hematological examination and detection of CRP; in addition, blood samples from 12 dogs experimentally inoculated with an inactivated sample of Micrococcus luteus (ATCC 7468) were also analyzed. According to the hematological parameters and CRP values, the samples were classified in 5 different groups: group A) dogs without CRP and normal WBC; group B) dogs with elevated levels of CRP but normal WBC; group C) dogs with elevated CRP values and altered WBC (neutrophilia and leukocytosis); group D) dogs with both CRP and increased neutrophils values; and group E) dogs with elevated CRP values but with leukopenia. Dogs experimentally inoculated with M. luteus had a significant and promt increase in CRP values between 24 and 48 hr p.i., which declined up to the 10th day when the experiment was completed. In these dogs, a discrete neutrophilia and leukocytosis was observed coincidently with the CRP elevation. Thus, it can be suggested that the detection of CRP in the blood of dogs should be used as an indication of an infection or inflammation and, because of the low amount of blood needed, low cost and easiness to perform the test, monitoring CRP levels might be useful to evaluate the recovery from an infection disease.KEYWORDS: acute phase proteins; blood cell count; diagnosis; inflammation.
Highlights
Normal WBC; group B) dogs with elevated levels of CRP but normal WBC; group C) dogs with elevated CRP values and altered WBC; group D) dogs with both CRP and increased neutrophils values; and group E) dogs with elevated CRP values but with leukopenia
Dogs experimentally inoculated with M. luteus had a significant and promt increase in CRP values between 24 and 48 hr p.i., which declined up to the 10th day when the experiment was completed
It can be suggested that the detection of CRP in the blood of dogs should be used as an indication of an infection or inflammation and, because of the low amount of blood needed, low cost and easiness to perform the test, monitoring CRP levels might be useful to evaluate the recovery from an infection disease
Summary
O presente estudo foi dividido em duas etapas. A primeira etapa foi conduzida para testar a hipótese de associação entre as duas técnicas. Os resultados obtidos dos testes hematológicos, a partir do hemograma, foram comparados quanto à presença e quantidade da CRP. Doze cães sem raça definida (machos e fêmeas) do Biotério Central da Instituição, previamente testados, e que apresentavam hemograma sem alterações e resultado negativo para CRP os animais foram inoculados, por via intramuscular, com um antígeno bacteriano (Micrococcus luteus ATCC 7468, 1 mL, densidade óptica de 0,5/OD492nm), inativado pelo calor a 60oC por 30 min, com o objetivo de induzir uma resposta inflamatória. As amostras foram coletadas em tubos com e sem EDTA para realização do hemograma e da CRP, respectivamente. A ocorrência de uma nítida aglutinação foi indicativa da presença de CRP na concentração mínima de 6 g/mL (limite inferior de sensibilidade para soro humano); controles positivos e negativos foram utilizados durante os testes.
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