Evolution of grass-cutter (Thryonomys swinderianus) inflammation markers: comparison with rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and rat (Rattus norvegicus).

An inflammatory reaction was induced in grass-cutters (Thryonomys swinderianus) by injecting turpentine. The changes in the plasma haptoglobin, fibrinogen, alpha 2 macroglobulin and immunoglobulin G was followed for 23 days by immunonephelometry. The results were compared to rat and rabbit. They showed that (a) the inflammatory reaction is delayed in the grass-cutter compared to rats and rabbits; (b) the concentration of haptoglobin increases less than in rat and rabbit; (c) the fibrinogen concentration is very low in the grass-cutter, despite hypercoagulability of blood; (d) the changes in the plasma alpha 2-macroglobulin in the grass-cutter seems to be comparable to that of rabbit alpha 1 macroglobulin in amplitude and in its slow return to the initial concentration; and (e) fibrinogen and haptoglobin are suitable markers for grass-cutter inflammation monitoring.