Haemato-biochemical alterations in helminths infected donkeys

Present study was conducted to estimate the haemato-biochemical alterations during parasitic infection in donkey (Equus acinus) of Banaskantha district of Gujrat, India. Based on qualitative faecal sample examination, one hundred donkeys were categorized as Group-I and Group-II. Group-I animals were (+)ve for helminthic infection and designated as ‘infected’; whereas, Group-II animals were (-)ve for helminthic infection and designated as ‘uninfected’. Haematological profile revealed significant decrease in haemoglobin (Hb), total erythrocyte count (TEC) and packed cell volume (PCV) in infected animals as compared to uninfected. However, the rise in erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and eosinophil count in group-I was non significant. Whereas, there was no significant difference (p<0.01) in neutrophil, lymphocyte and monocyte count between the two groups. Biochemical profile indicated increase in the level of cholesterol, creatinine, acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (AKP), aspertate amionotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in infected animals. In contrast, biochemical analytes viz. glucose, total protein, albumin, globulin, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc were significantly decreased in infected animals as compared uninfected. Helminth infected animals also exhibited non-significantly lower level of iron, copper, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), triglyceride (TG) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN).The results suggest gross alteration in haemato-biochemical parameters and may form a basis of monitoring parasitic infection in donkey.