Clinical Biochemistry of Domestic Animals

Viral diseases of farm animals, rather than being a diminishing problem across the world, are now appearing with regularity in areas where they have never been seen before. Across the developing world, viral pathogens such as peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) place a huge disease burden on agriculture, in particular affecting small ruminant production and in turn increasing poverty in some of the poorest parts of the world. PPRV is currently considered as one of the main animal transboundary diseases that constitutes a threat to livestock production in many developing countries, particularly in western Africa and south Asia. Infection of small ruminants with PPRV causes a devastating plague and as well as being endemic across much of the developing world, in recent years outbreaks of PPRV have occurred in the European part of Turkey. Indeed, the relevance of many once considered 'exotic' viruses is now also high across the European Union and may threaten further regions across the globe in the future. Here, we review the spread of PPRV across Africa, Asia and into Europe through submissions made to the OIE Regional Reference Laboratories. Further, we discuss current control methods and the development of further tools to aid both diagnosis of the disease and prevention.

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Global distribution of peste des petits ruminants virus and prospects for improved diagnosis and control

https://jcp.bmj.com/content/jclinpath/12/2/193.1.full.pdf

Practical Clinical Biochemistry

Effect of ambient temperature and light intensity on physiological reactions of heavy broiler chickens

Changes in selected biochemical indices related to transport of broilers to slaughterhouse under different ambient temperatures.

The investigation was carried out to explore the extent of changes in serum hormones and interrelated analytes of broiler chickens during varying ambient temperatures because such changes help to understand the modulations in physiological mechanisms. For this purpose sera were harvested from the broilers when the maximum temperatures were 13-16°C (low); 24-27°C (moderate) and 42-45°C (high). The values of analytes measured at moderate temperature served as control to which values of analytes measured at low and high temperatures were compared. Higher temperatures resulted in greater variations in hormones and interrelated analytes than the lower temperatures. At 42-45°C, serum corticosterone, growth hormone, glucagon, testosterone, uric acid, creatinine, urea, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, free fatty acids, ASAT, ALAT, lipase and amylase increased significantly (p ≤0.05) and thyroxine, triiodothyronine, insulin, gastrin, total proteins, albumin, globulin, LDH, ICDH and pepsinogen decreased significantly (p ≤0.05) from respective control mean values. At low temperatures (13-16°C) serum T 4 , T 3 , LDH and ICDH were significantly (p ≤0.05) higher; glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides and free fatty acids were significantly (p ≤0.05) lower and corticosterone, growth hormone, insulin, glucagon, gastrin, testosterone, total proteins, albumin, globulin, uric acid, creatinine, urea, ASAT, ALAT, pepsinogen, lipase and amylase showed non significant (p>0.05) changes from respective control values. Serum prolactin, aldosterone, sodium, chloride, calcitonin, alkaline phosphatase, 5’ nucleotidase and gamma glutamyl transferase were significantly (p ≤0.05) higher and potassium, C-PTH, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium were significantly (p ≤0.05) lower at 42-45°C temperatures than respective control mean values. At 13-16°C temperature serum aldosterone, sodium, chloride, alkaline phosphatase and 5’ nucleotidase showed significant (p ≤0.05) fall while serum potassium marked significant (p ≤0.05) rise as compared to respective control mean values. It was concluded that changes in the ambient temperatures affected the glucose, fat, protein, calcium and sodium metabolisms in the way which helped the birds to survive during adverse conditions. Pattern of changes of interrelated analytes showed the physiological state of the body being governed by endocrine system.

Ambient temperature associated variations in serum hormones and interrelated analytes of broiler chickens in arid tract.

Severe peste des petits ruminants (PPR) outbreaks were recorded in Thar desert of Rajasthan state (India) affecting large population of sheep and goats over a huge geographical area, taking a toll in tens of thousands of animals. These outbreaks were investigated for epidemiological, clinical, pathological, haematological and biochemical features. The outbreaks started in migratory sheep which returned back from adjacent PPR endemic areas and later spread to goats with estimated case fatality rates of 70% and 80%, respectively. Younger animals were more affected than the adult ones. The stress of migration coupled with low environmental temperatures bolstered by humidity and nutritional deficiency was the reason of precipitation of the disease. Typical clinical and pathological findings were recorded and significant (P≤0.05) changes were observed in most of the haemato-biochemical parameters. The free-range grazing system had been responsible for the involvements of larger number of flocks in distant areas with prevalence for longer duration. The disease waned with increase in the environmental temperatures. The present situation warrants strict sero-surveillance and monitoring of PPR together with uninterrupted vaccination of migratory flocks at district or state borders for its effective control.

Large scale outbreaks of peste des petits ruminants in sheep and goats in Thar desert of India.

Objective: an investigation was carried out in Indian dromedaries (Camelus dromedarius) (Linnaeus 1758) in order to find out the defence against reactive oxygen species during environmental stress. Material and Methods: serum levels of reactive oxygen species scavengers like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, glutathione, catalase, superoxide dismutase, monoamine oxidase, glutathione reductase, xanthine oxidase, oxidase and peroxidase were determined. Environmental stress included hot and cold environmental temperature periods. These findings were compared with those obtained during moderate environmental temperature period serving as control. Results: vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and glutathione activity decreased significantly during hot and cold environmental temperature periods. Serum catalase, superoxide dismutase, monoamine oxidase, glutathione reductase, xanthine oxidase, oxidase and peroxidase activities increased significantly during hot and cold environmental temperature periods. Conclusion: environmental stress induced marked changes in the levels of reactive oxygen species scavengers in the serum of Indian dromedaries.

Serum biomarkers of physiological defense against reactive oxygen species during environmental stress in Indian dromedaries.

In order to assess the compartmental water management of Marwari sheep various body water compartments were determined during the periods of control, dehydration and rehydration. The control mean values of total body water, extracellular, plasma volume, blood volume, red cell volume, intracellular fluid volume and interstitial fluid volume were 20.0 ± 0.8, 1.80 ± 0.1, 2.8 ± 0.20, 0.56 ± 0.02, 9.3 ± 0.4, 11.0 ± 0.4 and 7.5 ± 0.3 litre, respectively, thereby forming 64.26%, 5.78, 8.99, 1.79, 29.88, 35.34 and 24.10% of the body mass, respectively. Significant (P ≤0.05) decline was found with progression of dehydration in all the water compartments with a different pattern. Maximum loss was observed from the plasma volume (50%), whereas minimum loss was in the intracellular fluid compartment. Again upon rehydration, the pattern of water replenishment was different in various compartments. Immediately after rehydration the maximum gain was observed in blood volume and the slowest gain in intracellular and red cell fluid compartments. Decreased plasma volume was related with a significantly (P ≤0.05) higher serum aldosterone during dehydration period. Simultaneously, dehydration functioning as a stress increased the levels of serum cortisol accompanied by increase in serum creatinine, creatine kinase, γ-glutamyl transferase and alkaline phosphatase activities significantly (P ≤0.05).

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A. K. Kataria

Papers

Ambient temperature associated variations in serum hormones and interrelated analytes of broiler chickens in arid tract.

Large scale outbreaks of peste des petits ruminants in sheep and goats in Thar desert of India.

Serum biomarkers of physiological defense against reactive oxygen species during environmental stress in Indian dromedaries.

Compartmental water management of Marwari sheep during dehydration and rehydration

Endocrine and metabolic responses of Marwari sheep in arid tract.