<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The present study aimed to evaluate the changes in concentrations of some biochemical parameters, as well as macro and microscopic alterations during <italic>Eimeria stiedae</italic> infection in rabbits. The experiment was performed using 12 three-month-old healthy rabbits, randomly allocated into 2 equal groups: G1 (controls, uninfected animals) and G2 (rabbits infected with <italic>E. stiedae</italic>). Blood samples were collected at time zero (prior to the infection), 6th, 24th, and 48th hours, and also 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th days after the infection. After sampling, the blood was centrifuged, plasma was separated and frozen at -20 ºC until analyzed. Thawed plasma was used for the quantitative determination of haptoglobin (Hp), total protein (TP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total cholesterol (TC), total bilirubin (TBIL), urea, and creatinine (CREA). The results in infected rabbits revealed a significant increase in Hp, AST, ALT, GGT, TBIL, and TC levels, as well as a significant decrease in ALP and urea. A weak hyperproteinemia was also observed. There were no changes in CREA concentration. At the end of the clinical investigation, all rabbits were humanely euthanized and necropsied. The post-mortem examination of the infected group revealed hepatomegaly, multifocal yellowish nodules diffusely spread over the liver surface and in the parenchyma, considerably dilated bile ducts, and biliary hyperplasia. Given the results obtained from this experiment, it can be affirmed that hepatic eimeriosis in rabbits is a severe parasitic disease leading to significant disturbances of liver histology and resulting changes in the biochemical profile of infected rabbits.</abstract>

The present study aimed to evaluate the changes in concentrations of some biochemical parameters, as well as macro and microscopic alterations during Eimeria stiedae infection in rabbits. The experiment was performed using 12 three-month-old healthy rabbits, randomly allocated into 2 equal groups: G1 (controls, uninfected animals) and G2 (rabbits infected with E. stiedae). Blood samples were collected at time zero (prior to the infection), 6th, 24th, and 48th hours, and also 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th days after the infection. After sampling, the blood was centrifuged, plasma was separated and frozen at -20 ºC until analyzed. Thawed plasma was used for the quantitative determination of haptoglobin (Hp), total protein (TP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total cholesterol (TC), total bilirubin (TBIL), urea, and creatinine (CREA). The results in infected rabbits revealed a significant increase in Hp, AST, ALT, GGT, TBIL, and TC levels, as well as a significant decrease in ALP and urea. A weak hyperproteinemia was also observed. There were no changes in CREA concentration. At the end of the clinical investigation, all rabbits were humanely euthanized and necropsied. The post-mortem examination of the infected group revealed hepatomegaly, multifocal yellowish nodules diffusely spread over the liver surface and in the parenchyma, considerably dilated bile ducts, and biliary hyperplasia. Given the results obtained from this experiment, it can be affirmed that hepatic eimeriosis in rabbits is a severe parasitic disease leading to significant disturbances of liver histology and resulting changes in the biochemical profile of infected rabbits.

Biochemical and Pathomorphological Investigations on Rabbits with Experimentally Induced Hepatic Eimeriosis

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology of the Animals and Physiological Chemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

Department of General and Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

Macedonian Veterinary Review

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The present study aimed to evaluate the changes in concentrations of some biochemical parameters, as well as macro and microscopic alterations during Eimeria...

Biochemical and Pathomorphological Investigations on Rabbits with Experimentally Induced Hepatic Eimeriosis

Data publikacji: 29 mar 2022

Zakres stron: 53 - 59

Otrzymano: 23 wrz 2021

Przyjęty: 31 sty 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/macvetrev-2022-0013

Słowa kluczowe
rabbits, hepatic eimeriosis, biochemical parameters, haptoglobin

© 2022 Joana P. Petrova et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Biochemical and Pathomorphological Investigations on Rabbits with Experimentally Induced Hepatic Eimeriosis

Data publikacji: 29 mar 2022

Zakres stron: 53 - 59

Otrzymano: 23 wrz 2021

Przyjęty: 31 sty 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/macvetrev-2022-0013

Słowa kluczowerabbits, hepatic eimeriosis, biochemical parameters, haptoglobin

© 2022 Joana P. Petrova et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Słowa kluczowe
rabbits, hepatic eimeriosis, biochemical parameters, haptoglobin