Veterinary Archives, Vol. 82 No. 5, 2012.
Original scientific paper
Anaemia in Clostridium chauvoei infection is masked by haemoconcentration.
Nicodemus M. Useh
; Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria; Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York,
Andrew J. Nok
; Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
Najume Ibrahim
; Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
King A. N. Esievo
; Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
Abstract
Haemoconcentration has been reported in blackleg, but the exact mechanisms by which it occurs are poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the role of Clostridium chauvoei neuraminidase (sialidase) in the pathogenesis of blackleg in Zebu cattle. Fourteen (14) Zebu bull-calves were either infected with C. chauvoei (n = 4), or administered toxins (n = 3) or neuraminidase (n = 4) produced by the bacteria, and comprised a control group (n = 3) respectively. It was observed that anaemia developed in the C.
chauvoei-infected and neuraminidase-administered groups (P<0.05) 7 days after experimental infection with C. chauvoei or administration of neuraminidase. The anaemia was attributed to desialylation of erythrocytes by neuraminidase, as there was higher plasma neuraminidase activity (P<0.05) and decreased erythrocyte surface sialic acid concentration (P<0.05) in the C. chauvoei and neuraminidase-administered, compared to the toxin-administered and control groups respectively. Other results revealed that the natural course of blackleg, which does not exceed 3-5 days, is characterized by an anaemia that is masked by haemoconcentration. It was concluded that neuraminidase played a significant role in the development of anaemia, which was masked by haemoconcentration in the early stage of C. chauvoei infection, but became evident 7 days post-infection in an experimental model.
Keywords
Clostridium chauvoei; neuraminidase; toxins; anaemia; Zebu cattle
Hrčak ID:
86251
URI
Publication date:
11.9.2012.
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