Serum proteins changes in indigenous zambian goats with trypanosomosis

I'jypanosomosis is an economically important parasitic disease ot .ilnm-.! all domesticated animals in X.ambia. however. very little work has been dour ii> estahtlish the pathophysiology of the disease in /ambia or tropical Africa aa whole. Hi'1 changes in blood biochemical parameters of infected animalare import an t hi identifying, the organs which have undergone pa t lu i logical changes, (ïoats are important livestock in tsetse-infested areas of J.ambia dmto their partial trypanotolerance. Serum total proteins, albumin and globulin com entrations \vere determine by chermrai methods (Biuret and Hronioc ieso! reen dye) in adult indigenous /ambian goats undergoing experimentally in duced ï'rypanowma rongolf nst infection for ten consecutive days- The mean serum total protein and globulin concentrations increased significantly (I1 ' 0.05) within three weeks of infection and remained elevated until t he end of t IKexperiment. The mean albumin levels did not show any significant variations while the A:Ci ratio significantly (P < U.05) dropped in the fifth week anil remained consistently low. Liver and kidney pathological changes are as.oci ated with lowered serum total proteins and albumin concentrations since t lie liver is the major primary organ for the synthesis of serum protein. while the kidneys, in their normal state, prevent the serum proteins excretion. The ie suits, therefore, showed that trypanosomosis in goats does not induce obvious pathological changes in the liver and kidneys. However. trypanosomoMs do< provoke the immune system leading the enhanced production of sei urn glob ulins. Acknowledgement: We are grateful to the /mnbia .lapan Knr-ruKhip ASMs iatuin for funding thU research.