Cytology of bronchoalveolar lavage in goats: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a biomarker of pneumonic consolidation

Abstract

The cytology of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid of some morphological types of caprine pneumonia was examined in Red Sokoto breed of goats. Lung lavage fluid was collected from 93 randomly selected normal and pathologic lung samples post slaughter. The total and differential white blood cell counts of the BAL fluid were determined, characterized, and compared on the basis of different morphologic forms of pneumonia confirmed by histopathology. Macrophage-to-neutrophil (MNR) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR) ratios were computed and assessed for relationship with lung consolidation. The pneumonic lungs generally showed a significant increase in cellularity compared with normal lungs (p