Clinical pathology of camelids - Revue de Médecine Vétérinaire

PLENARY LECTURE
Clinical pathology of Camelides : present
and future
E. BOGIN
Department of Clinical Pathology, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Tel Aviv University School of Medicine, Beit- Dagan, Israel
ABSTRACT
RÉSUMÉ
The principals on which clinical pathology is based in human and veterinary medicine are similar and are based on the detection of deviations from
recognized and predetermined sets of analytes and cells in the blood, urine,
cerebrospinal and other body fluids. They include chemical-biochemical,
physical hematological, microscopic and other parameters, relating to
diseases, metabolic disorders, nutritional imbalances and deficiencies, environmental conditions, stress and more, guiding the clinicians, practitioners
and farmers for treatments, optimization of nutrition and management practices. All these are based on sets of characteristic clinical pathology profiles
determined and defined as normal.
One of the big problems facing the clinical chemist and clinician is the
definition of the so-called normal profile. Since by definition the decision
of abnormal value is depending on it. Since genetics, physiology, nutrition
and environmental conditions are influencing the clinical pathology profiles, it is necessary to establish these normal reference values, for each animal species, under defined environmental and nutritional conditions according to age, sex and physiological conditions. While for human and some
animal species such as dogs, cats and large farm animals, these profiles are
well established, for more exotic animals like the camelides, the picture is
incomplete, confusing and in disagreement within the different reported
data.
Overviewing the literature on camelides clinical pathology reveals the
following: a) the available data is inconsistent, having a wide range of
values, which are in disagreement with each other. Values reported as normal reference were obtained on relatively small and undefined groups of
animals with no reference to age, sex nutritional regime and environmental
and management conditions ; b) the range of analytes studied is narrow and
does not include many analytes, which were studied with other animal
groups ; c) there are significant differences in the values of many parameters, compared to other animal species within the camelides family, as well
as other species. This could be a consequent of different genetics, physiology and environmental conditions, stressing the need to establish reference
values to each group of animals.
An overview on the principles of clinical pathology, normal and pathological profiles will be presented. Examples of the variations among the
reported values in the literature and the possible relation to difference in
methodological procedures will be discussed and the possible relationship
between the different profiles and difference in genetics and environmental
conditions. New data on the proteins and isoenzyme profiles in camelides
separated and identified by electrophoresis. Further more, the utilization of
dry chemistry technology for animal side testing and the computer, as an aid
to the clinician in the interpretation of clinical pathology in camelides veterinary medicine will be discussed.
Further research is needed to bring camelides clinical pathology to the
levels existing in small animals and large farm animals.
Biologie clinique des camélidés : présent et futur. Par E. BOGIN.
KEY-WORDS : haematology - biochemistry - reference
values - camel - alpaca.
MOTS-CLÉS : hématologie - biochimie - valeurs de référence - dromadaire - alpaga.
Revue Méd. Vét., 2000, 151, 7, 563-568
Les bases sur lesquelles la biologie clinique est fondée sont les mêmes en
médecine humaine et vétérinaire, reposant sur la détection de variations de
groupes d'analytes reconnus et prédéterminés dans le sang, l'urine, le liquide cérébrospinal et autres liquides biologiques. Ces analytes comprennent
des constituants biochimiques, hématologiques, microscopiques et autres,
en relation avec les maladies, troubles métaboliques, déséquilibres nutritionnels et carences, conditions d'environnement, stress et autres, et permettant de guider les praticiens et éleveurs dans leurs traitements et l'optimisation de l'alimentation et de la gestion.
Un des grands problèmes auxquels le biologiste et le clinicien sont
confrontés est celui des "valeurs normales", puisque, par définition, la décision d'une valeur anormale en dépend. Comme la génétique, la physiologie,
l'alimentation et les conditions d'environnement influent sur les profils biochimiques, il est nécessaire d'établir des valeurs de référence, pour chaque
espèce, dans des conditions alimentaires et environnementales définies, en
tenant compte de l'âge, du sexe et des états physiologiques. Alors que chez
l'homme et quelques espèces animales, telles que le chien, le chat et les animaux de ferme, ces profils sont bien connus, les connaissances sont incomplètes, parfois contradictoires pour les animaux plus exotiques comme les
camélidés.
Une revue de la littérature sur la biologie clinique des camélidés met en
évidence les points suivants : a) les données disponibles ont peu de valeur,
présentant de grandes variations et plus ou moins en désaccord les unes avec
les autres. Les valeurs rapportées comme valeurs de référence ont été obtenues sur des groupes relativement limités et mal définis d'animaux sans
référence à l'âge, au sexe, au régime alimentaire et aux conditions de gestion et d'environnement ; b) la variété des analytes étudiés est faible et ne
comprend pas nombre d'analytes étudiés dans d'autres espèces ; c) il y a des
différences significatives pour les valeurs de nombreux constituants tant à
l'intérieur de la famille des camélidés qu'avec d'autres espèces. Cela pourrait résulter de différents facteurs génétiques, physiologiques ou d'environnement, montrant encore qu'il est nécessaire d'établir des valeurs de référence pour chaque groupe d'animaux.
Une revue des principes de la biologie clinique et des profils biologiques
normaux et pathologiques est présentée. Des exemples de variations parmi
les valeurs de la littérature et leur possible relation avec des méthodologies
différentes sont discutées ainsi que les possibles relations entre les différents
profils et les différentes conditions génétiques ou d'environnement. De nouvelles données sur les profils protéiques et isoenzymatiques des camélidés
ont été obtenues ; de plus, l'utilisation de la chimie, sur supports de réactifs
secs pour l'analyse, et de l'ordinateur comme assistance à l'interprétation de
la chimie clinique chez les camélidés est discutée. Il est nécessaire de poursuivre les recherches pour amener la biologie clinique des camélidés au
niveau atteint chez les petits animaux et les animaux de la ferme.
564
BOGIN (E.)
Clinical pathology is a specialized field of medicine, which
concerns itself with analysis of body fluids (blood, urine,
CSF), cells, and other biological materials for the diagnosis
of diseases, metabolic disorders, nutritional deficiencies or
imbalances, toxicity or environmental effects, as an aid to the
clinician. The principles on which clinical pathology are
based, are the detection of deviations from those defined normal and include parameters such as enzymes, metabolites,
cells, proteins and many other analytes, utilizing physical and
chemical procedures.
While in humans and animals such as dogs, cats, horses,
cattle and monkeys data and available information is abondant, in camelides this information is missing, incomplete
and in many cases is contradicting among the available documented reports.
The objectives of the following report are to describe an up
to date picture on the available data on clinical pathology of
camelides.
The normal reference values are established by the analysis
of the statistical mean and standard deviations of the various
analytes and /or parameters in the biological specimen taken
from normal healthy animals. This underdefined criteria, describing age, sex nutritional and environmental conditions and
other factors which can affect the levels of these constituents.
The normal hematological and biochemical reference values
for camels are shown in tables I-IV and those for alpaca in
tables V-VIII. The values given are without defining subgroups of age and sex or physiological conditions.
A closer view comparing the camel and llama is shown in
table IX.
Subdividing animal groups according to narrower criteria
reveals some differences. As seen in table X some significant
differences in the levels of the enzymes ALP and GGT are
seen between male and female camels.
As seen there are distinct differences between camel and
alpaca. These differences are further depicted in a more focused way in table IX. Some of the more pronounced differences are in the levels of ALT, AST, CK and glucose.
Subdividing these reference values according to sex revealed some significant differences in the levels of the enzymes
ALP and GGT being higher in the female blood.
Comparing clinical pathology reference values to other
large animals reveals differences, some of which are shown
in tables X and XI. While T4 levels in camel's blood were
similar to those seen in horses, the values in cows were
higher by more than 300 % and in llama 10 times higher
(Table X). Comparing blood levels of T3 in camel and llama,
TABLE II. — Serum activities of enzymes from normal camels.
TABLE III. — Serum concentrations of proteins and metabolites from normal
camels.
TABLE I. — Hematological values of normal camels.
TABLE IV. — Serum concentrations of minerals and electrolytes from normal camels.
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CLINICAL PATHOLOGY OF CAMELIDES : PRESENT AND FUTURE
TABLE V. — Hematological values of normal alpaca.
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TABLE VIII. — Serum concentrations of minerals and electrolytes from
alpaca.
TABLE VI. — Enzyme activities of enzymes from serum of normal alpaca.
TABLE IX. — Blood profiles from camel and llama.
TABLE VII. — Serum concentrations of proteins and metabolites from normal alpaca.
TABLE X. — Hormones and lipids in serum of camel and alpaca.
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BOGIN (E.)
TABLE XI. — Serum concentrations of copper and zinc in cow and camel and their correlation to the enzyme superoxide-dismutase.
showed an opposite trend with values 4 times higher in the
camel, than in the llama. (Table X). Reported values of blood
cholesterol in camelides are around 50 % from those of the
cow and horse Table XI). While serum levels of the enzyme
superoxide-dismutase were similar in cows and camels the
concentrations of the microelements Cu and Zn were less
than half in the camel. (Table XI)
The changes in camel's blood profile following a stress of
5-km race revealed significant changes in most analytes measured (table XII).
Some of the changes seen are due to some hemoconcentration caused by water loss (PCV, total proteins, albumin and
electrolytes). Some others however, were a result of metabolic causes.
Lactic acid accumulation resulted from anaerobic metabolism during physical stress. The large increase of lactate suggests that these experimental animals be in poor physical
conditions. The significant decrease of blood bicarbonate is a
TABLE XII. — Blood composition changes in camel following a 5-km race.
result of hyperventilation and loss of CO2.The fact that blood
pH decreased may be the result of the high accumulation of
lactate (lactic acidosis). High glucose may be associated with
the stress and the low fatty acids a consequent of increased
utilization of the fatty acids. The data suggests that the camel
behave similarly to other animals under stress, as expected
except for the accumulation of the NH3.
Camels, serum proteins, hemoglobin and LDH and CK
isoenzymes, separated and identified by electrophoresis, showed the serum proteins to have somewhat different electrophoretic mobility, which is probably a result of different physical characteristics and net electrical charges, originating
from different amino acids composition. Similarly hemoglobin mobility in electrical field was different as well, probably
for the same reasons.
The isoenzymatic patterns of the enzymes LDH and CK
are shown in Figure 1.
Lactic dehydrogenase isoenzymatic pattern was different
from other animals with LDH 2 being the major peak.
(Figure 1A) The isoenzymatic pattern of creatine kinase was
unique, showing all 3 isoenzymes with CK 1 (MM) as the
major peak followed by CK3 (BB) and CK 2 (MB) (figure
1B).
Preliminary results (BOGIN, unpublished observations)
that similarly to bovine and buffalo, immunoglobulins in calf
serum, are greatly elevated following colostral ingestion by
the calf. Furthermore, the degree of gamma globulin's elevation in the calf's serum is directly proportional to the activity
of the enzyme gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT) in the calf
serum and can serve as an indicating parameter on the colostral ingestion and immunoglobulin concentration in the
blood.
FIGURE 1. — The isoenzymatic patterns of the enzymes lactic dehydrogenase and creatine kinase.
Revue Méd. Vét., 2000, 151, 7, 563-568
CLINICAL PATHOLOGY OF CAMELIDES : PRESENT AND FUTURE
A comparative study of ketone bodies metabolism in camel
and sheep showed the following: a) plasma concentrations of
beta hydroxy butyrate (BHB) and acetoacetate (AcAc) were
33 and 4 folds respectively, lower in the camel in comparison
to the sheep. b) The ratio of BHB to AcAc was 0.6 for the
camel and 4.8 for the sheep, suggesting a lower reductive
capacity in the camel's metabolism. c) The activity of betahydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase of the rumen epithelial cells
was lower in the camel than in the sheep (7.15 and
66 µmol/hr/gr wet wt. tissue respectively) and were higher in
the epithelial cells than in the liver, in both species [19].
Following infection of camel with trypanosome, serum
levels of the enzyme sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), AST
and ALT were significantly elevated, while ALP has decreased. Following drug treatment and recuperation the enzyme
levels returned to the preinfection normal levels.
In summary, camelides clinical pathology is based on similar principles to those of human and other animals. The profiles seen and the changes caused by diseases or metabolic
changes reflect the different physiology, genetics, nutrition
and environmental conditions. Searching the available data
in the literature reveals that much of the reported information
is based on too small of a group to establish a sound mean,
which can serve a good reference value. This could be the
reason for the many contradicting reports on the values of the
same analytes. It is however, encouraging that new reports
are coming up narrowing the gap between camelides and
other animals.
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