Serum sialic acid levels in cattles with cystic echinococcosis

Abstract

In this study, the investigation of serum total sialic acid (TSA) levels in cattles with cystic echinococcosis was aimed. Two - 3 years old 15 cattles infected with cystic echinococcosis larvae and 10 healthy cattles were composed of study animal material. Blood samples were taken from the cattles prior to slaughter and organs of slaughtered cattle in Samsun province were investigated for cystic echinococcosis. Positively animals for Echinococcus granulosus protoscolex were included as a trial group and clinically healthy and negatively for cystic echinococcosis animals were included in the study as a control group. Serum TSA level was measured by Warren's method. Serum TSA levels were determined as 119.6 +/- 7.6 mg/dl and 78.9 +/- 8.2 mg/dl in infected and healthy cattles, respectively. Serum TSA levels were found to be significantly higher in cattles with cystic echinococcosis compared to healthy (p < 0.01). Significant positive correlations were determined between serum TSA and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotranferase (ALT) and gamma glutamil transferase (GGT) activities. In conclusion, an increase in TSA levels in cows affected by cystic echinococcosis suggests that serum TSA may be a useful associate parameter and surveillance tool in support to clinical and laboratory findings.