Evaluation of serum enzyme activities and protein fractions in Brucella-infected cows

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate potential changes in serum enzyme activities and protein fractions in Brucella-infected cows. A total of 1100 serum samples of dairy cows were screened for Brucella infection using the Rose Bengal test (RBT). Serum samples reacting positively to the RBT were subjected to indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for confirmation. Thirty serum samples from serologically positive cows and 30 from negative (healthy) cows were analyzed for alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activities and total protein (TP) concentrations and serum protein electrophoresis. Serum ALT, AST, CK, and LDH activities were increased in serologically positive cows and significantly higher than those measured in healthy cows. However, there were no significant differences in ALP and GGT activities. TP and γ-globulin concentrations were increased in serologically positive cows and significantly higher than those of healthy cows, but there were no significant differences in albumin or α1-, α2-, and ß-globulin concentrations. Hence, Brucella infection has a detrimental effect on dairy cows' health and is accompanied with elevated serum ALT, AST, CK, and LDH activities and increased TP concentrations due to the increase in γ-globulin concentrations only.