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| Author(s): |
Juliana Falcato Vecina
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Master's Dissertation |
| Press: | Campinas, SP. |
| Institution: | Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Ciências Médicas |
| Defense date: | 2009-02-06 |
| Examining board members: |
Helena Zerlotti Wolf Grotto;
Paulo Cesar Ciarlini;
Claudio Lucio Rossi
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| Advisor: | Helena Zerlotti Wolf Grotto |
| Abstract | |
Introduction: Leukocytosis and hyperthermia are the primary indicators of inflammation infection in most animal species. White blood cell count changes are evident after 72 hours in dogs, while the increase of serum acute phase proteins levels and erythrocyte sedimentation rate occur earlier. Thus they are considered as useful and precocious markers in identifying and monitoring inflammatory/infection process. Interleukin-6 is the major inflammatory response regulator and increases hepatic synthesis of acute phase proteins such as C-reactive protein and fibrinogen. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate rises as a consequence of acute phase protein stimulus. The investigation of the presence of inflammation/infection process in dogs is performed in most veterinary laboratories by manuals technics, which show poor precision and fail in standardization of procedures. The aim of this study was to evaluate new parameters and laboratory methods, which may help in the identification of the inflammatory/infection process in dogs. The evaluation and standardization of these parameters may contribute to the diagnosis with greater precision and in a shorter period of time and may be included in the routine veterinary laboratories. Materials and methods: We studied 117 adult dogs of different breeds. They were divided into two groups: normal controls (n = 31) and suspicious of inflammatory / infectious diseases (n = 86). Subsequently, animals were subdivided into animals with inflammatory (n = 29) or infection conditions (n = 57). Hematological parameters were obtained using an automated counter and differential count was performed by microscopic observation in blood smears stained with Giemsa-May-Grünwald. Fibrinogen concentration and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were determined by automated methods and plasma Creactive protein and interleukin-6 were measured by commercial ELISA kits. Results: Erythrocyte sedimentation rate was the most sensitive marker of the inflammatory/infection process, showing significant increase in 82,56% of the cases, followed by C-reactive protein measurement (65,12%). The other markers were positive in less than 50% of the animals. When the animals were subdivided according to inflammatory or infection condition the group with inflammation showed higher frequency of positivity than the infectious group. The concentration of hemoglobin and the number of platelet were higher in the control group, while white blood count, number of basophils and presence of left shift showed high values in the group of sick animals. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 levels were higher in the group with inflammation/infection when compared to controls. Animals with inflammatory process showed fibrinogen and C-reactive protein levels higher than those with infection, while erythrocyte sedimentation rate and interleukin-6 levels were similar. Conclusions: Results of this study indicate that erythrocyte sedimentation rate showed the best accuracy in identifying inflammatory/infectious process. Interleukin-6, C-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels were higher in inflammatory/infectious group, but showed limited efficacy in detection of individual sick animals. Dogs with inflammatory process demonstrate a more remarkable response in both serum/plasma determinations and hematological parameters when compared with dogs presenting predominantly infectious process (AU) | |