RESUMO
This study aimed at establishing standard values of some biochemical parameters in Burkinabese small ruminants’ breeds and their changes due to the infection of trypanosomes. This work helps determine the prevalence of trypanosomosis in small ruminants in the study area. Materials and Methods: A total of 317 small ruminants (173 sheep and 144 goats) were sampled for cross sectional survey of trypanosomosis from 10 villages of the agro pastoral zone of Sideradougou in the southern of Burkina Faso in July 2010. The parasitological analysis was carried out by microscopy according the Buffy Coat Technique (BCT). The biochemical parameters were analyzed using commercial kits (BIOSYSTEMS® SA). Results: The overall parasitological prevalence was 5.99%. Infections were due to T. congolense and T. vivax with predominance of the latter (68.42% of cases). The values of biochemical parameters found in sheep and goats were within the ranges of physiological values. However, these values varied with age and trypanosomosis infection status. In young animals for both species, cholesterol and magnesium values were significantly lower than the adult subjects. Various biochemical parameters related to nutritional status were lower in young and trypanosome infected animals than in adults and healthy animals, respectively. The values of total proteins were significantly higher in the infected goats than healthy ones (p=0.001), while the contrary was observed in sheep. The gamma globulin values were significantly increased in the trypanosome infected subjects (p<0.001 in goats). Conclusion: Trypanosmosis infection induced changes in the values of some biochemical parameters in small ruminants. The results of this study could help clinicians to improve the diagnosis of diseases in local small ruminants’ breeds by good interpretation of biochemical analyses.