Original scientific paper

Role of erythrocyte surface sialic acid in inducing anaemia in Savannah Brown bucks experimentally infected with Trypanosoma evansi.

Sani Abdullahi Shehu ; Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
Najume Doguwar Giginya Ibrahim ; Department of Microbiology and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
King Akpofure Nelson Esievo ; Department of Microbiology and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
Garba Mohammed ; Department of Surgery and Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria

Abstract

Erythrocyte surface sialic acid, free serum sialic acid concentrations and sialidase activity were determined during experimental Trypanosoma evansi infection in Savannah Brown bucks. All infected bucks developed trypanosomosis, with significant decreases in mean packed cell volume to as low as 19.50 ± 2.12% occurring at day 33 post-infection and was significantly lower than the control value of 26.75 ± 0.96. Mean haemoglobin concentrations also declined in the infected bucks with a marked drop of 6.50 ± 0.70 g/dL on day 33 post-infection and was significantly different (P<0.05) from the uninfected (control) group (8.53 ± 0.46 g/dL). The anaemia was preceded by a gradual decline in mean erythrocyte surface sialic acid concentrations occurring 5 days post-infection. There were significant differences (P<0.05) in mean erythrocyte surface sialic acid between the infected and control groups on day 5 and between days 17 to 27 post-infection. A significant (P<0.05) increase in free serum sialic acid concentrations was observed on days 15, 17 and 27 when compared to the control group. There was a significant (P<0.05) increase in the activity of sialidase on days 7, 9, 21, 23, 27, 33 and 37 post-infection.The anaemia caused during infection may be attributable to the activities of the circulating trypanosomes, which produce sialidase (neuraminidase) that resulted in the cleaving off of erythrocyte surface sialic acid, rendering such red blood cells more prone to phagocytosis in the reticuloendothelial system.

Keywords

sialic acid; anaemia; Savannah Brown bucks

Hrčak ID:

22257

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/22257

Publication date:

20.12.2006.

Article data in other languages: croatian

Visits: 2.184 *