Serum acute phase proteins as biomarkers of pleuritis and cranio-ventral pulmonary consolidation in slaughter-aged pigs.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the existence of lung lesions in pigs at slaughter and the concentration of the serum acute phase proteins (APP), haptoglobin (Hp), pig-major acute protein (Pig-MAP) and C-reactive protein (CRP). A total of 24 pig farms were selected out of a larger farm database previously screened to study risk factors associated with pleuritis and cranio-ventral pulmonary consolidation (CVPC) lesions at slaughter-aged pigs in Spain. The farms were classified as "pleuritis negative (P-) or positive (P+)" and as "CVPC negative (M-) or positive (M+)" and divided into four groups according to a 2X2 factorial design (P-M-, P-M+, P+M-, P+M+).

Validation of an immunoturbidimetric method for determination of porcine serum C-reactive protein.

Measurement of porcine C-reactive protein (CRP) in serum is an important tool for monitoring health and welfare in pigs. In this study, an immunoturbidimetric method from Olympus System Reagent (OSR 6147) used to measure human CRP in serum that employ a human traceable calibrator has been evaluated in porcine serum samples. Intra- and inter-assay imprecision were lower than that obtained with the porcine-specific commercially available ELISA.

Plasma protein electrophoresis of Trachemys scripta and Iguana iguana.

Background: Protein electrophoresis is widely applied in veterinary medicine, but is not used often in reptiles, in part because of lack of reference values.

Objective: The goals of this study were to compare plasma protein profiles obtained by cellulose acetate electrophoresis (CAE) and agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE), measure precision and examine interference by sample hemolysis, and establish preliminary reference intervals for 2 reptile species.

Methods: Heparinized plasma samples from healthy and diseased adult female Iguana iguana (n=40) and Trachemys scripta (n=60) were analyzed by CAE and AGE.

Evaluation of serum haptoglobin and C-reactive protein in dogs with mammary tumors.

Background: In veterinary medicine, there is increasing interest in measuring acute phase proteins as a tool in the diagnosis and monitoring of neoplastic diseases. Although mammary neoplasms are the most common type of cancer in dogs, acute phase proteins have not been extensively evaluated in dogs with mammary tumors.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate serum haptoglobin (Hp) and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations in the dogs with mammary tumors and assess their potential association with malignancy.

Evaluation of serum cortisol, metabolic parameters, acute phase proteins and faecal corticosterone as indicators of stress in cows.

To assess the validity of laboratory parameters in blood and faeces as indicators of stress in cows, concentrations of cortisol, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs), 3-hydroxybutyrate, glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, serum amyloid A (SAA) and haptoglobin in serum, as well as corticosterone in faeces, were determined in two breeds of cattle (Alberes and Bruna dels Pirineus) under different systems of housing and feeding. Serum cortisol concentrations were markedly elevated in the Alberes group, probably because they were less habituated to human handling. Corticosterone concentrations in faeces were significantly increased in the Bruna dels Pirineus cattle on Alberes pastures.