ASSESSMENT OF SERUM AMYLOID A (SAA) AND FIBRINOGEN PLASMA CONCENTRATION IN HEALTHY, SEPTIC AND SICK NON-SEPTIC NEONATAL FOALS

ASSESSMENT OF SERUM AMYLOID A (SAA) AND FIBRINOGEN PLASMA CONCENTRATION IN HEALTHY, SEPTIC AND SICK NON-SEPTIC NEONATAL FOALS E. Lauteri, DVM,PhD 1 , S. Prato, DVM, PhD 1, F. Beccati, DVM, PhD 1, M. Pepe, DVM, PhD 1,R. Gialletti, DVM, PhD 1, S. Nannarone, DVM,PhD 1, F. Passamonti, DVM, PhD 1 1 Università degli Studi di Perugia, Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Perugia, Italia Purpose of the work - A rapid diagnosis of infectious and non-infectious diseases is of great importance in the management of sick neonatal foals. Acute phase proteins (APPs) such as serum amyloid A (SAA) and fibrinogen have been suggested to represent reliable indicators of inflammation and sepsis in horses. However, the SAA and fibrinogen response to illness has been poorly investigated in neonatal foals. The aim of this study was to compare SAA and fibrinogen plasma concentration among healthy, septic and sick non-septic neonatal foals. Materials and used methods - Fifty-five mixed-breed neonatal foals (=72 hours of life) were included in the study. Thirty-one/55 foals, recognized as healthy on the basis of history, clinical examination and blood works, were included as group control. Nine/55 and 15/55 foals were recognized as septic (group S) and sick non-septic (group SNS) foals, respectively, on the basis of haemoculture and sepsis score. Blood venous samples were collected from the sick foals on admission and once between 2 and 72 hours of life from healthy foals. Samples were collected into tubes containing sodium citrate and EDTA for fibrinogen and SAA testing, respectively; analysis was performed using the Equinostic EVA1 diode array spectrophotometer. Data normality (Shapiro-wilk and Levene test) and differences in SAA and fibrinogen levels (ANOVA) among groups were tested. Significance was set at p<0.05. Results - Median and ranges of SAA and fibrinogen plasma concentration were 9.7(4.8-18.99), 30.8(9.67- 104.41), 219.15(128.2-368.25) and 3.46(2.57-4.31), 3.6(1.99-5.48), 4.57(1.49-7.28) in group control, SNS and S, respectively. Significant differences were found in SAA plasma concentration among group control and group S (p<0.01) and among group S and group SNS (p<0.01); no significant differences were found among group control and SNS. Fibrinogen concentration did not differ significantly (p>0.161) among groups. Conclusions - In this study referral ranges for SAA and fibrinogen in healthy neonatal foals were provided. SAA was confirmed to represent a sensitive indicator of inflammation and to be useful for the identification of sick septic and sick non-septic neonatal foals. Bibliography Hulten,C., Demmers,S(2002) EVJ 34(7) 693-698. Corresponding Address: Dott.ssa Eleonora Lauteri - Università degli Studi di Perugia - Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria Via San Costanzo 4, 06126 Perugia, Via Sacripanti 8, 60131 Ancona (AN), Italia Cell 340 9249803 - E-mail eleonoralauteri@gmail.com