Acute phase proteins in calves naturally infected with Cryptosporidium

Abstract EN

Infectious diarrhea remains one of the most important health challenges in dairy industries during the first four weeks of life, with Cryptosporidium infection as one of the main causes of this diarrhea.

This study aimed to evaluate blood concentration of some acute phase proteins in calves naturally infected with Cryptosporidium.

Ninety-six, 1 day to 4 week-old Holstein calves were allotted into control group (G1 n=48 healthy calves) and calves infected with Cryptosporidium (G2 n=48).

Blood and fecal samples were collected from each calf at the same day.

Enzyme Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay (ELISA) was used to estimate serum levels of haptoglobin (Hp), serum amyloid A (SAA), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), while gel electrophoresis was used to determine serum level of fibrinogen.

Serum SAA, Hp, and fibrinogen significantly increased in infected calves, whereas there was no significant difference in serum level of TNFα between the two groups.