Identifying relationships among acute phase proteins (haptoglobin, serum amyloid A, fibrinogen, ceruloplasmin) and clinical findings in dairy calf diarrhea

The acute phase response is a nonspecific inflammatory reaction of the host that occurs shortly after any tissue injury. The response includes changes in the concentration of plasma proteins called acute phase proteins (APPs). Calf diarrhea is an important disease that occurs in association with the interaction of various infectious agents and calf susceptibility. The economic losses is associated with death loss and treatment costs, reduction of live weight gain, and reduction of productive life span, which may be considerable. The aim of the present study was to identify relationships among APPs in calves with diarrhea in the different clinical features. Holstein calves (50) within 1 day to 4 months old with signs of diarrhea and healthy calves (40) with similar age and sex were selected. Standard clinical examinations and also dehydration degree were carried out on each calf and were recorded. Calves with clinical signs of diarrhea were divided in different groups based on the severity of the clinical findings, fever and degree of dehydration. Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein from all calves into vacutainers containing ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) for separating plasma and without EDTA for serum biochemical analysis. APP [haptoglobin (Hp), serum amyloid A (SAA), fibrinogen (Fib), and ceruloplasmin (Cp)] concentrations were measured using validated standard methods. The results indicated a significant increases in APPs in diarrheic calves which was most obvious in Hp and SAA (P < 0. 001). Calves with severe clinical signs of diarrhea had a significant increases in their Hp and SAA (P < 0. 001) compared to calves with moderate or without systemic clinical signs. Diarrheic calves with fever compared to diarrheic calves without fever had a significant increases in their Hp and SAA (P < 0. 01). Also, diarrheic calves with severe dehydration compared to diarrheic calves with mild and moderate dehydration had significant increases in Hp and SAA (P < 0. 05), and these parameters (Hp, SAA, Fib, and Cp) among calves with mild and moderate dehydration had no significant changes. Our results indicated that monitoring the APP responses in diarrheic calves with different clinical signs could be useful as prognostic tools and facilitate treatment decisions. © 2011 Springer-Verlag London Limited.