Hematological Values in Water Buffaloes, Variations With Age, Sex, and Trypanosoma Spp. Natural Infection

Abstract

Objective. The aim of this study was to establish blood reference intervals (RIs) and describe the effects of age, sex, and natural haemotropical infection with Trypanosoma spp. Methods. In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed 1225 water buffaloes with nonvisible symptoms of disease stratified by age and sex. The confidence intervals were calculated for each reference limit (95%, p<0.05). The data were analyzed in three age groups (calves, young, and adults), two sex groups (females and males), natural infection with Trypanosoma sp (infected, non-infected). The differences between age group, sex, Trypanosoma spp infection, and all the parameters were compared, and differences between age group, sex, Trypanosomainfection, and hematological parameters were found (p<0.05). Results. Males showed higher values for red blood cell account, white blood cell account, and thrombocyte count; females showed higher values for Mean corpuscular volume and neutrophil parameters. Calves showed more hemoconcentration. than in the other age groups. Young animals showed less total protein, neutrophils and thrombocytes, and a higher Mean corpuscular volume and lymphocyte count. Natural infection with Trypanosomaspp. caused statistically significant relation (p<0.05) decreasing red blood cells, hemoglobin, pack cell volume, platelet, total protein and increases in eosinophils and lymphocytes. Conclusions. Natural infection with Trypanosomaspp. showed differences: (p<0.05) decreasing levels of granulocytes, red blood cell, hemoglobin, Pack volume cell, Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin, platelet, total protein, and increasing levels of eosinophils and lymphocytes. No pathognomonic variable of the disease was found. The current study provide RIs and demonstrates changes associated with age, sex and infections.