Oxidant/antioxidant status in lambs and sheep with liver and lung cystic echinococcosis diagnosed by ultrasonography and necropsy.

The aim of this study was to evaluate total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant status (TOS), and oxidative stress index (OSI) in sheep and lambs with cyctic eccinocoocosis (CE) diagnosed by ultrasonography and necropsy findings. A total of 9 sheep and 17 lambs with CE were used in this study and the findings were compared to those of 6 healthy control sheep. Ultrasonography were used for the diagnosis of CE in sheep and lambs, and necropsy was performed to check the presence of cysts in liver and lungs. Serum TOS and TAC were measured by a novel colorimetric method. The TOS-to-TAC ratios were also calculated as OSI values. Serum biochemical profiles were determined by conventional measurement methods as well. The mean values for TOS, TAC and OSI were significantly (p<0.001) lower in sheep and lambs with CE when compared with those of the control sheep, and they were also significantly lower in lambs with CE in comparison to the mean values obtained in sheep with CE. The levels of serum albumin, total cholesterol, creatinine, and triglycerides in lambs with CE were found out to decrease significantly (p<0.001) when compared with those of both sheep with EC and the control group. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of other serum parameters. In addition, when clinically and some biochemical values were evaluated, CE was found to be more severe in lambs than in sheep. It was concluded that although common diagnostic cyst detection is performed by postmortem examination, ultrasonography could successfully be used in conjunction with serum biochemical profile detection and serum TOS, TAC and OSI measurements for diagnosis of cysts in liver and lungs of severely infected living sheep and lambs. Serum albumin, total cholesterol, creatinine, total protein and triglycerides might be used as indicators in sheep and particularly in lambs for the diagnosis of CE.

Evaluation of total oxidative stress and total antioxidant status in cows with natural bovine herpesvirus-1 infection.

Viruses, including herpes viruses, can alter oxidative balance by either increasing the formation of free radicals or inhibiting synthesis of enzymes involved in oxidative defense within host cells. This study examined the occurrence of oxidative and antioxidative balance in cows naturally infected with bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1) under field conditions. Clinical history indicated that cows had been sick and showed mild to severe respiratory signs, characterized by dullness, coughing, and lacrimation, and a high febrile response. All samples obtained from the infected animals during clinical examination were confirmed as positive for bovine herpesvirus type 1 by PCR. Control cows showed no clinical abnormalities and PCR results were negative. Total antioxidative status, total oxidant status, oxidative stress index, and some biochemical parameters were measured. The level of total antioxidative status was significantly lower in infected animals, compared with the healthy control group (P = 0.025). However, there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups for total oxidant status and oxidative stress index levels. Furthermore, there was a significant decrease in the infected groups, with respect to concentrations of alkaline phosphatase, alanine transferase, γ glutamyl transferase, monocyte, and erythrocyte (P < 0.05). On the other hand, aspartate aminotransferase and creatinine kinase concentrations significantly increased in the cows infected with BHV-1. In conclusion, the data obtained hereby explained that animals with infected BHV-1 seemed to have more oxidative stress and low antioxidant defense. Moreover, future research conductance is needed on antioxidative and oxidative balance to understand pathophysiology of BHV-1 infections.

Clinical efficacy of diclofenac sodium and flunixin meglumine as adjuncts to antibacterial treatment of respiratory disease of calves.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of the non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs, diclofenac sodium and flunixin meglumine as adjuncts to the antibiotic treatment of bovine respiratory disease (BRD). PROCEDURE: We randomly allocated 80 Holstein calves with BRD to three groups. All the calves received a dose of 2.5 mg/kg tulathromycin by single subcutaneous injection and two of the groups received, in addition, either 2.5 mg/kg diclofenac sodium as a single intramuscular injection (diclofenac group, n = 30) or 2.2 mg/kg flunixin meglumine as an intravenous injection on the first three consecutive days after tulathromycin administration (flunixin group, n = 30). All calves were given a clinical score prior to initial treatment (day 0) and after treatment (days 1, 2, 3, 7 and 14) by observing appetite, demeanour, rectal temperature, the rate and type of respiration, presence or absence of coughing, and nasal discharge. RESULTS: During the first 48 h, improvement of adverse signs of respiratory disease, such as pyrexia and elevated respiratory rate, and of a high clinical index score was significant in the two adjunct groups compared with the calves receiving antibiotic alone. The reduction in pyrexia was greatest in the diclofenac group. There were no statically significant differences between treatment groups with regard to eventual perceived recovery from respiratory disease in 14 days. CONCLUSION: In this trial, a single intramuscular dose of diclofenac sodium was equally effective as three intravenous injections of flunixin meglumine given on consecutive days as adjunctive therapy for BRD.

Experimental hyperkalaemia in rabbits: effects of salbutamol and norepinephrine treatments on blood biochemistry and electrocardiography.

The effects of salbutamol and norepinephrine on the electrocardiogram (ECG), serum potassium level and enzyme activities were studied in rabbits with hyperkalaemia; norepinephrine and salbutamol may be therapeutically useful. For induction of hyperkalaemia, 300 mM KCl solution was used and then isotonic saline solution containing 6 microg salbutamol and 3.9 microg norepinephrine per ml were administered. Norepinephrine and salbutamol decreased the serum potassium from 7.36 +/- 0.26 and 7.21 +/- 0.31 mmol/L to 5.62 +/- 0.27 and 4.35 +/- 0.33 mmol/L, respectively, and caused the ECG changes (flatness of P wave, widening of QRS complex and bradycardia) to return to the control conditions (time 0). Norepinephrine, but not salbutamol, decreased the activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) to the control levels. These results suggest that monitoring of the enzyme activities might be useful as it yields indexes suitable for evaluating the therapeutic approach with norepinephrine in hyperkalaemia.