Aspectos hematológicos e bioquímicos de caprinos naturalmente infectados com Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis

Abstract

Caseous lymphadenitis is an infectious, chronic disease that has as its etiological agent the bacterium Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis that affects goats. The animals are usually asymptomatic, having as main clinical manifestation the presence of abscesses in superficial lymph nodes. There are few hematological and serum biochemical studies that reflect the condition in the field. This work was carried out to evaluate the hematological and biochemical aspects of goats naturally i9nfected by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. Samples of blood were collected from 55 adult, alpine brown, and crossbred goats, reared in a semi-intensive regimen of three farms located in the Recôncavo da Bahia, two in Cabaçeiras do Paraguaçu and one in Castro Alves. Blood was collected to perform the antibody test for C. pseudotuberculosis, blood count and serum biochemistry in addition to fecal samples for evaluation at the level of parasitism. Of the 55 goat samples analyzed by the test of indirect ELISA for anti-C. pseudotuberculosis antibodies, 34.55% (19/55) of the animals were positive and 65.45% (36/55) negative. Plasma fibrinogen concentration, serum albumin concentration and enzymatic activity of AST differed between groups (p<0.05), with no significant differences observed in the other parameters observed. Hyperfibrinogenemia indicates an inflammatory process, as well as neutrophilic leukocytosis found in the mean of positive animal values, indicating chronic disease exacerbation. Hypoalbuminemia may indicate infection by gastrointestinal parasites, as well as may be a consequence of hepatic changes in CL, as evidenced by increased AST. High CPK in positive animals may be related to the semi-intensive rearing system. Most of the animals in the positive group had a body score between 3 and 4 (medium and fat) indicating good nutritional status. The most affected lymph nodes of the seroreagent animals were the pre-scapular cells being in agreement with the literature. The age group of 1 to 2 years of the animals in the positive group is probably due to the onset of the lesions caused by C. pseudotuberculosis and also the period in which the animals presented seroconversion, but they remained asymptomatic. Both groups presented high parasitic infestation with high values of O.P.G. and O.O.P.G., justifying hypoproteinemia and eosinophilia of the positive group.