Decreased serum sialic acid, albumin-globulin ratio and total protein levels in cattle heavily infected with Theileria annulata

The present Study was designed to determine the changes in the levels of serum total sialic acid and total protein, albumin/globulin ratio in naturally infected cattle with tropical theileriosis for a better understanding of the pathogenesis of tropical theileriosis. Eight cattle heavily infected (50-70% parasitamia) with Theileria annulata had significantly lower serum sialic acid, total protein, albumin and globulin levels and albumin-globulin ratios than uninfected eight control cattle. Levels of serum sialic acids were found to be 133.87 +/- 0.77 mg/dl and 194.12 +/- 3.91 mg/dl in cattle with theileriosis and healthy animals respectively. These values between two groups found to be significant (p < 0.001). Levels of serum total protein were found to be 5.70 +/- 0.17 g/dl and 7.00 +/- 0.14 g/dl in cattle with theileriosis and healthy animals respectively. These values between two groups found to be statistically significant (p < 0.001). Levels of serum albumin were found to be 2.16 +/ -0.04 g/dl and 3.02 +/- 0.04 g/dl in cattle with theileriosis and healthy animals respectively. These values between two groups found to be statistically significant (p < 0.00). Levels of serum globulin were found to be 3.53 +/- 0.15 g/dl and 3.97 +/- 0.12 g/dl in cattle with theileriosis and healthy animals respectively. These values between two groups found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). Albumin-globulin ratio in serum were found to be 0.61 +/- 0.02 and 0.76 +/- 0.02 in cattle with theileriosis and healthy animals respectively. These values between two groups found to be statistically significant (p < 0.002). These findings suggest that levels of serum proteins are usually decreased significantly in Tropical theileriosis, which may be the result of liver damage. In paralel to decreased serum proteins, sialisation of proteins in tropical theileriosis may be the result of decreased glycoproteins during the disease process. These results may be useful to evaluate the prognosis and treatment of the disease with the other laboratory findings in clinic.