Serum biochemical and liver enzymes changes in dogs with single and conjunct experimental infections of Trypanosoma brucei and Ancylostoma caninum

The serum biochemical changes that occur in dogs with single and conjunct experimental infections of Trypanosoma brucei and Ancylostoma caninum were studied. Four groups (GPI, GPU, GPIII and GPIV) of five dogs each were used for this study. GPI was the uninfected control while GPII, GPIII and GPIV were infected with A. caninum, T. brucei and conjunct A. caninum/T. brucei, respectively. Results show that the disease was more severe in the conjunct infection than in the single infections. This was apparent from the shorter prepatent period of T. brucei infection (four to six days) in GPIV (conjunct) when compared with six to nine days in GPIII (T. brucei alone). Infection with A. caninum also showed a shorter patency period of 13 days in GPIV when compared with 19 days in GPII (A. caninum alone). Significant decrease (P < 0.05) in total protein occurred in all the infected groups due to hypoalbumineamia. There was a transient rise followed by a sustained decline in the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration in all the infected groups. Total bilirubin and creatinine recorded a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the infected groups, except in GPII where the creatinine level was unaffected. The liver enzymes: aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) showed significant increase in the infected groups, while alkaline phosphatase (ALP) showed a significant decrease (P < 0.05). These biochemical changes were in all cases more profound in the conjunct infection, and could thus be ancillary to diagnosis and useful in prognosis during natural infections.