Serum sialic acid and oxidative stress parameters changes in cattle with leptospirosis

This study was designed to disclose some indicators of oxidative stress and inflammation in natural cases of bovine leptospirosis. For this purpose, 12 bulls exhibiting clinical signs of leptospirosis and 10 healthy bulls were used. Animals were subjected to thorough clinical examination and the clinical signs were recorded. All animals were blood sampled in order to determine serum total sialic acid (TSA), lipid bound sialic acid (LBSA), malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (NO), uric acid (UA), total protein (TP), albumin and glucose. Urine samples were collected from each animal and examined under dark-field microscope to observe spirochetes. Diseased animals exhibited clinical signs suggesting leptospirosis and the diagnosis was supported by positive dark-field microscope examination. Mean TSA (mmol/L), LBSA (mmol/L), TP (g/dl), albumin (g/dl), glucose (mg/dl), MDA (mu mol/L), GSH (mg/dl), NO (nmol/ml), and UA (mg/L) levels were 1.63 +/- 0.02, 0.40 +/- 0.10, 7.18 +/- 0.24, 3.23 +/- 0.5, 64.96 +/- 1.88, 5.71 +/- 0.11, 78.68 +/- 0.72, 7.94 +/- 0.34, and 8.75 +/- 0.41 in healthy bulls, and 2.50 +/- 0.05, 0.70 +/- 0.2, 9.27 +/- 0.17, 2.55 +/- 0.62, 107.93 +/- 2.52, 8.82 +/- 0.14, 47.85 +/- 1.85, 14.57 +/- 0.63 and 15.85 +/- 0.80 in leptospirosis cases, respectively. The differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P < 0.001). Increased TSA, LBSA, MDA, NO, UA, TP, glucose and decreased GSH and albumin concentrations were suggestive of inflammation and oxidative stress in diseased bulls. The results obtained may suggest that oxidative damage along with other mechanisms might have taken part in the pathogenesis of bovine leptospirosis and further detailed studies are needed to fully understand the mechanism(s) of the disease.