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The goal of this study was to determine the plasma concentrations of the acute phase proteins fibrinogen and ceruloplasmin during the pregnancy and postpartum period in goats. The experiment was carried out with six clinically healthy Bulgarian native goats, aged 4-6 years, weighing 49-56 kg, reared at the Biobase of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine – Stara Zagora. Blood samples for assay of plasma concentrations of the studied acute-phase proteins during pregnancy were collected over 7-day intervals, from the 14th to the 147th day of pregnancy. During the postpartum period, samples were obtained at 3-day intervals between the 1st and 15th postpartum day, as well as once on the 20th and 30th day after the parturition. The results indicated that throughout the first trimester of the pregnancy, the highest average plasma fibrinogen values were established on the 14th day, while significantly lower values (P

The present study was conducted to examine the changes in calcium and phosphorus levels during Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infection in rabbits. The experimental procedures were carried out with 12 male New Zealand white healthy rabbits, divided into two equal groups - the experimental group (n=6, rabbits infected with S.aureus) and the control group (n=6, uninfected animals). Blood samples were collected at 0 hours before infection, as well on 6, 24, 48, 72 hours and 7, 14 and 21 days after the infection. The amount of calcium in infected rabbits decreased significantly by the 48-th hour (p

Preclinical testing of novel therapeutics for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) requires suitable animal models. Equids host homologs of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Because coinfections of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HCV occur in humans, we screened 2,917 specimens from equids from five continents for HBV. We discovered a distinct HBV species (Equid HBV, EqHBV) in 3.2% of donkeys and zebras by PCR and antibodies against EqHBV in 5.4% of donkeys and zebras. Molecular, histopathological, and biochemical analyses revealed that infection patterns of EqHBV resembled those of HBV in humans, including hepatotropism, moderate liver damage, evolutionary stasis, and potential horizontal virus transmission. Naturally infected donkeys showed chronic infections resembling CHB with high viral loads of up to 2.6 × 10(9) mean copies per milliliter serum for >6 mo and weak antibody responses. Antibodies against Equid HCV were codetected in 26.5% of donkeys seropositive for EqHBV, corroborating susceptibility to both hepatitis viruses. Deltavirus pseudotypes carrying EqHBV surface proteins were unable to infect human cells via the HBV receptor NTCP (Na(+)/taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide), suggesting alternative viral entry mechanisms. Both HBV and EqHBV deltavirus pseudotypes infected primary horse hepatocytes in vitro, supporting a broad host range for EqHBV among equids and suggesting that horses might be suitable for EqHBV and HBV infections in vivo. Evolutionary analyses suggested that EqHBV originated in Africa several thousand years ago, commensurate with the domestication of donkeys. In sum, EqHBV naturally infects diverse equids and mimics HBV infection patterns. Equids provide a unique opportunity for preclinical testing of novel therapeutics for CHB and to investigate HBV/HCV interplay upon coinfection.

The aim of the present study was to determine the changes in some biochemical and haematological parameters after 5 days intramuscular treatment with tobramycin (5 mg/kg bw) and amikacin (10 mg/kg bw) in six healthy female goats. The results of these studies indicated that in healthy goats, both antibiotics, in therapeutic doses, caused significant rise in plasma creatinine and urea levels, lymphocyte count and decrease in sodium levels, RBC count and haemoglobin concentration (p

The aim of the present study was to determine the changes in some blood biochemical and haematological parameters in healthy female goats after a 5-day parenteral treatment with gentamicin (4 mg/kg), tobramycin (5 mg/kg), amikacin (10 mg/kg), kanamycin (10 mg/kg), apramycin (20 mg/kg), and spectinomycin (20 mg/kg). The results indicated that aminoglycosides caused more severe alterations than aminocyclitols, especially on those parameters related to renal function. There was a tendency toward a rise in plasma creatinine and urea levels after aminoglycoside treatment, as well as a rise in urea levels after aminocyclitol administration. These antibiotics caused decreases in plasma or serum glucose, sodium and chloride levels, erythrocytes and leukocytes counts, haematocrit percentage and haemoglobin concentration. For plasma or serum total protein, total lipids, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, calcium, and magnesium concentrations and differential white blood cell counts, various changes occurred. As a whole, these antibiotics have the potential to alter biochemical and haematological values in female goats after their use at therapeutic doses.