The serum protein electrophoretic pattern and acute phase protein concentrations in calves with chronic respiratory diseases

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum protein electrophoretic pattern and the concentrations of acute phase proteins (haptoglobin, serum amyloid A, and fibrinogen) in 28 calves with clinical signs of chronic respiratory diseases and 36 healthy calves as a control group. In sick calves we found significantly higher serum concentrations of total proteins (P < 0.001), lower concentrations of albumin (P < 0.001) and marked shift in the concentrations of the most of protein fractions with significantly higher values of alpha1-, beta1-, beta2-, and gamma-globulins (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01). The affected calves had significantly higher values of haptoglobin, serum amyloid A, and fibrinogen as well (P < 0.05, P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively).