SIGNIFICANCE OF SELECTED CLINICOPATHOLOGIC VARIABLES IN CALVES WITH BRONCHOPNEUMONIA

The present study was delineated to evaluate the significance of using a qualitative cardiac troponin I (cTnI) kits for the diagnosis of cardial injury in calves suffering from bronchopneumonia. A total number of 120 calves were enrolled in this study. Out of these calves, 100 animals exhibited various clinical symptoms of acute (n = 50) and (n= 50) bronchopneumonia, while other 20 apparently healthy calves were selected and served as a control. The concentration of cTnI was quantitatively and qualitatively determined in blood sera using either ELISA kits or a rapid assay with a commercial kit, respectively. Also, blood samples were used to estimate malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Our obtained results revealed that the quantitative cTnI was significantly elevated in chonically affected calves compared to those of acute ones and the control. The qualitative cTnI test had 90% diagnostic accuracy with 87.5% sensitivity, 67% specificity, 100% positive predictive value and 67% negative predictive value. Values of MDA were significantly increased in all diseased calves compared with control and in chronic cases compared with acute ones. Nevertheless, values of GSH and SOD activity were significantly lowered in all diseased calves compared with controls and in chronic ill calves than those having acute infections. GPX activity was higher in acutely ill calves than controls and those with chronic infection. It could be concluded that the analysis of pro-oxidants and oxidative stress markers could have an important role in diagnosis of bronchopneumonia in calves as well as the quantitative and qualitative analysis of cTnI could be used also as a tool in diagnosis of cardiac injury in calves suffering from bovine respiratory disease.