The impact of chronic diarrhoea in Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis seropositive dairy cows on serum protein fractions and selected acute phase proteins

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the serum protein pattern and selected acute phase proteins in dairy cows with chronic diarrhoea associated with seropositivity to Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). Forty-four dairy cows with chronic diarrhoea and MAP-seropositive and 19 clinically healthy MAP-seronegative cows were included in the study. The concentrations of total protein (TP), protein fractions and selected acute phase proteins – serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured in blood serum. In cows with diarrhoea the mean values of TP, albumin and the albumin/globulin ratio were significantly lower (P < 0.001), the relative concentrations of α1-, β1- and γ-globulins were significantly (P < 0.001) and α2- and β2-globulins were non-significantly higher. The electrophoretic pattern of serum proteins showed β-γ bridging in 32 from 44 diseased cows. The concentrations of SAA and Hp were non-significantly higher and CRP significantly lower (P < 0.001) in cows with diarrhoea. Presented results indicate a marked effect of chronic diarrhoea in MAP-seropositive cows on the protein metabolism suggesting possible diagnostic significance of some biomarkers from the protein profile in the evaluation of the severity of the disease and changes caused by this protein-losing enteropathy.

Keywords

• c-reactive protein
• dairy cows
• haptoglobin
• paratuberculosis
• serum amyloid a
• serum protein electrophoresis