Tissue Enzymes as Markers of Cardiac Damage during Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense Infection of Sheep

Abstract

This study was done to determine markers of cardiac and CNS involvement during HAT using sheep where eight sheep were intravenously inoculated with 1 × 104 T. b. rhodesiense. Two were uninfected. Jugular blood vein samples were used for parasitological analyses and determination of serum concentrations of total protein, LDH and CK and their isoenzymes. There was an increase in total protein, total LDH and total CK activities in both serum and CSF. A flip over pattern LDH1:LDH2 ratio was observed. It was concluded that serum LDH1/LDH2 ratio, has a potential diagnostic value in determination of cardiac damage.

This study was done to determine markers of cardiac and CNS involvement during HAT using sheep where eight sheep were intravenously inoculated with 1 × 104 T. b. rhodesiense. Two were uninfected. Jugular blood vein samples were used for parasitological analyses and determination of serum concentrations of total protein, LDH and CK and their isoenzymes. There was an increase in total protein, total LDH and total CK activities in both serum and CSF. A flip over pattern LDH1:LDH2 ratio was observed. It was concluded that serum LDH1/LDH2 ratio, has a potential diagnostic value in determination of cardiac damage.