Acute-phase proteins and antioxidant status in cows naturally infected by hydatid cysts in the Razavi Khorasan Province

Parasitic infections can be extremely problematic for animals and humans. Host-parasite relationships may be different between species. The purpose of this study was to evaluate Haptoglobin (Hp), Serum amyloid-A (SAA), Alpha -1- acid glycoprotein (AGP), Albumin (ALB), Total protein (TP), Globulin (GLB), Malondialdehyde (MDA), and Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) following natural infection with hydatid cysts in cows. This study was undertaken in a slaughterhouse in Torbate-Heidarie, Razavi Khorasan province, Iran, in January 2016. Four hundred cows were examined. Clinical examination prior to slaughter was done by an expert veterinarian and all clinically healthy cows were used in the study. The age determination was done according to the dental formula. Blood samples were obtained before slaughtering. Eventually, 60 cows with hydatid cysts and 60 apparently healthy cows were included in the study and control groups, respectively. The results indicated that acute phase proteins were not changed in naturally infected cows with hydatid cysts. It could be concluded that host-parasite relationship might be different in species such as cows and sheep. This finding may be due to a difference between species or a different behavior of hydatid cysts in cows and sheep.