EVALUATION OF CERULOPLASMIN AS AN ACUTE PHASE PROTEIN IN INFECTED DOGS

摘要

Ceruloplasmin (Cp) is a sensitive indicator of inflammation and infection. It is a liver-derived a2-glycoprotein and is synthesized primarily as a positive acute-phase reactant. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is oft associated with suppurative infections and is recognized as an inherent member of the microflora of the skin of humans and dogs and is responsible for a diverse spectrum of diseases. This infection was chosen because Staphylococcus aureus presented in a lot of animals –dogs, horses, cats, pigs, cattle, pigeons. Our aim in this experiment was to examine Cp concentrations in dogs that were exposed to Staphylococcus aureus infection and then evaluate how Cp could be used as an indicator of this bacterial infection in dogs. For that, Cp concentrations were determined in plasmas from 9 mongrel male dogs (in experimental group) and 6 mongrel male dogs (in control group) at the age of 2 years and body weight 12-15 kg. The infection was reproduced by inoculation of 5 ml 24 h broth culture of S. aureus strain with density of 3.1x109 c.f.u./ml in the lumbar region of experimental animals and same quantity saline in control (non-infected) dogs. Blood samples were collected into heparinized tubes before inoculation (hour 0) then at hours 6, 24, 48, 72 and on days 7, 14, 21 at the same time was taking blood and from controls. One day after inoculation, we observed that Cp showed consistent upward trend and between 24 to 72 hours, the values were from 66.55 to 66.88 mg/L, after that we noticed a peak of the concentration on the 7th day (109.5±7.82 mg/L). At the end of the experimental period (21 days) this acute phase protein remained still higher (81.88±6.59 mg/L) compared to baseline. In conclusion, dogs experimentally infected with Staphylococcus aureus showed an acute phase response characterized by statistically significant (p0.001) twofold increase in Cp concentration on the seventh day after inoculation. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that ceruloplasmin can be a useful marker for the presence of staphylococcal infection in dogs.