Some Serum Biochemical Changes in Yankassa Sheep Experimentally Infected with Single and Mixed Trypanosoma Congolense and Haemonchus Contortus

Serum biochemical profile was determined in Yankassa Sheep experimentally infected with single and mixed infection of Trypanosoma congolense and Haemonchus contortus over a period of sixty days. An upward trend was observed in serum globulin concentration for trypanosoma congolense and heamonchus contortus (TcHc) and haemonchus contortus and Trypanosoma congolense( HcTc) infected animals at Day 14 post-infection (PI). Thereafter a significant decrease (P > 0.05) was observed. Hypoalbuminaemia occurs in TcHc infected animals (P > 0.05) and it may be attributed to high level of parasitaemia in the group. There was fluctuation in the level of total protein, the increase or decrease may have been caused by the severity of the infection. There was an increase in the serum bicarbonate level in TcHc and HcTc infected animals, (P > 0.05), this may be due to generation of bicarbonate ions by the kidney which may increase in trypanosome infection. While the drop can be due to acidosis associated with anaemia, renal malfunction and release of toxic metabolites such as free-fatty acids by trypanosomes. The observed decrease in Serum Potassium (K+) level in trypanosome-infected groups may be as a result of red blood cell (RBC) destruction, which is a source of extra serum K+ and that a rise in K+ level coincides with a fall in RBC level. There was a decreased in Serum Sodium(Na+) level, which agrees with the known physiological observation that increases in plasma K+ levels, is always accompanied by subsequent fall in plasma levels of Na+. The mechanism of Na+ removal from the plasma is believed to be partly intracellular among other serum components. This theory is supported by significant increase in Serum Potassium (K+) in the plasma, since any movement of Na+ intracellularly is accompanied by the displacement of K+ from the intracellular compartment into the plasma, while K+ movement out of the cell may lead to the retention of Na+ intracellularly. A coresponding fall in Serum Chloride (Cl-) level was also observed in TcHc and HcTc groups (P > 0.05). It is generally believed that a fall in Cl- level always follows a fall in Na+ level which was observed in the same infected groups.