Abstract
Fasciolosis is one of the most important parasitic diseases of ruminants. This parasite causes liver dysfunction which may contribute to albumin synthesis and copper transferring to the liver and also reduces the elemental storage. Due to these reasons and to determine the effects of fasciolosis on serum and liver iron, copper, and cobalt status, the present study was conducted on 460 slaughtered sheep. During antemortem examination and after giving an identification number, blood samples were taken, and age, sex, and origin of animals were recorded. Visual inspection and palpation were performed on the liver to determine Fasciola infestation; then, liver samples were taken from 100 sheep (50 infested and 50 healthy ones), and the concentration of the mentioned minerals was measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results indicated that liver iron, copper, and cobalt concentrations in healthy sheep (74.47, 32.95, and 0.13 ppm, respectively) were significantly higher than those in sheep with fasciolosis (36.78, 11.22, and 0.05 ppm, respectively) (P < 0.05). These findings may explain the role of hepatic injuries caused by fasciolosis on mineral status and also the role of minerals on parasite persistency.
References
Berasain P, Goni F, McGonigle S, Dowd A, Dalton JP, Frangione B, Carmona C (1997) Proteinases secreted by Fasciola hepatica degrade extracelullar matrix and basement membrane components. J Parasitol 83:1–5
Boray JC (1985) Flukes of domestic animals. In: Gaafar SM, Howard WE, Marsh RE (eds) Parasites, pests and predators. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 179–218
Bossaert K, Lonneux JF, Godeau JM, Peeters J, Losson B (1999) Serological and biochemical follow-up in cattle naturally infected with Fasciola hepatica, and comparison with a climate model for predicting risks of fascioliosis. Vet Res 30:615–628
Brady MT, O’Neill SM, Dalton JP, Mills KHG (1999) Fasciola hepatica suppresses a protective Th1 response against Bordetella pertussis. Infect Immun 67:5372–5378
Carmona C, Dowd A, Smith A, Dalton JP (1993) Cathepsin L proteinase secreted by Fasciola hepatica in vitro prevents antibody-mediated eosinophil attachment to newly excysted juveniles. Mol Biochem Parasitol 62(1):9–17
Collins PR, Stack CM, O’Neill SM, Doyle S, Ryan T, Brennan GP, Mousley A, Stewart M, Maule AG, Dalton JP, Donnelly S (2004) Cathepsin L1, the major protease involved in liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica) virulence: propeptide cleavage sites and autoactivation of the zymogen secreted from gastrodermal cells. J Biol Chemis 279(17):17038–17046
Fikry HY, Wafaa M, Abdel-Razek El-Sadawy HA, Menazi AM (1988) The relationship between biochemical changes and clinical signs in sheep affected with liver fluke disease. Z vet J 1:113–122
Howard JL, Smith RA (1999) Current veterinary therapy, food animal practice, 4th edn. WB Saunders, Philadelphia
Kojouri GA, Ebrahimi A, Zaheri M (2009) Zinc and selenium status in cows with dermatophytosis. Comp Clin Pathol 18:283–286
Kojouri GA, Moshtaghi H (2008) A comparative study on copper, zinc, cobalt and iron concentration in hydatid cyst (fertile and infertile) fluid, liver and sheep serum. Res J Parasitol 3(2):67–70
Kojouri GA, Shirazi A (2007) Serum concentration of Cu, Zn, Fe, Mo and Co in newborn lambs following systemic administration of vitamin E and selenium to the pregnant ewes. Small Ruminant Res 70:136–139
Kojouri GA, Aghajani E, Jahanabadi S, Kojouri A (2011) Mineral status of myocardial sarcocystosis. Iranian J Parasitol 6(2):17–22
Lukasewycz OA, Prohaska JR (1990) The immune response in copper deficiency. Ann N Y Acad Sci 587:147–59
MartõÂnez-Moreno A, JimeÂnez-Luque V, Moreno T, Redondo ESH, de las Mulas J, Perez J (1999) Liver pathology and immune response in experimental Fasciola hepatica infections of goats. Vet Parasitol 82:19–33
Mulcahy G, O’Connor F, Clery D, Hogan SF, Dowd AJ, Andrews SJ, Dalton JP (1999) Immune responses of cattle to experimental anti-Fasciola hepatica vaccines. Res Vet Sci 67:27–33
Ngategize PK, Bekele T, Tilahun G (1993) The financial losses caused by ovine fascioliosis in the Ethiopian highlands. Trop Anim Hlth Prod 25:155–161
O'Neill SM, Brady MT, Callanan JJ, Mulcahy G, Joyce P, Mills KH, Dalton JP (2000) Fasciola hepatica infection down regulates Th1 responses in mice. Parasite Immunol 22:147–155
O'Neill SM, Mills KH, Dalton JP (2001) Fasciola hepatica cathepsin L cysteine proteinase suppresses Bordetella pertussis-specific interferon-Υ production in vivo. Parasite Immunol 23(10):541–547
Ozen N, Celik C, Ozkan K, Malazgirt Z, Isimer A, Sayal A (1992) Trace elements in hydatid disease. Journal of trace elements and electrolytes in health and disease 6(2):67–70
Percival SS (1998) Copper and immunity. Am J Clin Nutr 67(suppl):1064–1068
Radostits OM, Gay CC, Hinchcliff KW, Constable PD (2007) Veterinary medicine. A text book of the diseases of cattle, sheep, pig, goat, and horse. Baillere Tindall
Sherman AR (1992) Zinc, copper, and iron nutriture and immunity. J Nutr 122:604–609
Smith A, Dowd A, McGonigle S, Keegan PS, Brennan G, Trudgett A, Dalton JP (1993) Purification of a cathepsin L-like proteinase secreted by adult Fasciola hepatica. Mo Biochem Parasitol 62(1):1–8
Soulsby EJL (1982) Helminths, arthropods and protozoa of domesticated animals. Baillier Tindall, London
Suttle NF, Jones DG (1989) Recent developments in trace element metabolism and function: trace elements, disease resistance and immune responsiveness in ruminants. J Nutr 119:1055–1061
Tort J, Brindley PJ, Knox D, Wolfe KH, Dalton JP (1999) Proteinases and associated genes of parasitic helminths. Adv Parasitol 43:161–266
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kojouri, G.A., Jalali, Y., Shojai, J. et al. Comparing serum and hepatic concentrations of iron, copper, and cobalt in healthy sheep and sheep with chronic fasciolosis. Comp Clin Pathol 22, 141–145 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-012-1646-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-012-1646-8