Table 2.
Overview of blood biochemistry.
| Parameter | Infected (n = 14a) | Control (n = 15) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prior to inoculation | 2 dpi | 4 dpi | 6b dpi | Prior to inoculation | 2 dpi | 4 dpi | 7 dpi | |
| Total protein (g/L) | 46.43 ± 3.79 | 45.95 ± 3.39 | 48.69 ± 3.37 | 45.80 ± 2.85 | 47.38 ± 3.03 | 49.81 ± 7.16 | 46.46 ± 1.68 | 48.82 ± 1.29 |
| Albumin (g/L) | 23.04 ± 1.53 | 22.83 ± 1.25 | 22.29 ± 1.61 | 21.94 ± 1.2 | 23.74 ± 1.75 | 24.91 ± 3.19 | 22.4 ± 1.0 | 23.16 ± 1.0 |
| Alanine aminotransferase (U/L) | 2.43 ± 1.65 | 1.8 ± 0.45 | 2.0 ± 1.23 | 2.25 ± 0.96 | 2.2 ± 1.15 | 2.6 ± 1.52 | 2.0 ± 1.0 | 3.2 ± 0.84 |
| Alkaline phosphatase (U/L) | 305.2 ± 69.90 | 327.8 ± 71.1 | 322.0 ± 118.4 | 335.4 ± 118.7 | 314.9 ± 76.26 | 321.6 ± 14.33 | 348.2 ± 60.12 | 264.6 ± 66.08 |
| Total bilirubin (µmol/L) | 3.93 ± 1.49* | 2.8 ± 1.1* | 4.8 ± 2.17* | 5.75 ± 0.96* | 5.47 ± 2.03 | 5.8 ± 1.92 | 7.0 + 1.4 | 8.6 ± 0.89 |
| Bile acid (µmol/L) | 26.71 ± 27.31 | 43.4 ± 13.94 | 36.8 ± 12.03 | 59.5 ± 30.16 | 14.0 ± 6.56 | 71.8 ± 36.29 | 34.6 ± 6.35 | 56.6 ± 34.59 |
| Aspartate aminotransferase (U/L) | 255.9 ± 48.72 | 307.6 ± 124.1 | 238.4 ± 55.02 | 301.5 ± 183.8 | 275.7 ± 46.33 | 297.4 ± 59.93 | 266.8 ± 22.08 | 227 ± 23.69 |
| Creatinine (µmol/L) | 11.5 ± 5.43 | 14.6 ± 3.05 | 10.8 ± 1.92 | 18.0 ± 8.83 | 8.87 ± 1.96 | 13.4 ± 4.72 | 9.6 ± 2.61 | 8.4 ± 3.36 |
| Blood urea nitrogen (mmol/L) | 1.84 ± 2.81 | 0.94 ± 2.1 | 2.16 ± 1.96 | 1.825 ± 3.39 | 3.02 ± 3.18 | 5.2 ± 3.33 | 4.04 ± 2.59 | 0.0 ± 0.0 |
| Creatine kinase (U/L) | 3711 ± 1540 | 5345 ± 4470 | 2918 ± 1615 | 4511 ± 673.3* | 3895 ± 2117 | 4224 ± 1646 | 3234 ± 1905 | 2954 ± 971.4 |
| Gamma-glutamyl transferase (U/L) | 11.64 ± 3.52 | 14.2 ± 2.39 | 14.8 ± 6.42 | 10.0 ± 2.94 | 12.0 ± 3.89 | 13.4 ± 4.28 | 14.0 ± 4.74 | 13.2 ± 1.74 |
| Calcium (mmol/L) | 5.88 ± 0.56 | 4.82 ± 0.7* | 5.38 ± 1.18 | 5.55 ± 1.2 | 5.86 ± 0.59 | 6.06 ± 0.57 | 6.33 ± 0.15 | 6.27 ± 0.15 |
| Phosphate (mmol/L) | 2.32 ± 0.36 | 2.08 ± 0.26 | 2.54 ± 0.52 | 2.55 ± 0.45 | 2.27 ± 0.35 | 2.46 ± 0.64 | 2.3 ± 0.07 | 2.18 ± 0.36 |
| Magnesium (mmol/L) | 1.71 ± 0.21 | 1.42 ± 0.22* | 1.6 ± 0.34 | 1.57 ± 0.31 | 1.76 ± 0.23 | 1.93 ± 0.27 | 1.82 ± 0.7 | 1.87 ± 0.15 |
| Serum amyloid A (mg/L) | 0.14 ± 0.35 | 5.8 ± 7.7** | 5.76 ± 11.88** | 0.55 ± 1.1 | 0.26 ± 0.65 | 0.0 ± 0.0 | 0.0 ± 0.0 | 0.08 ± 0.18 |
| Haptoglobin (PIT54) (g/L) | 0.13 ± 0.03 | 0.17 ± 0.03 | 0.19 ± 0.03**c | 0.14 ± 0.04 | 0.11 ± 0.013 | 0.14 ± 0.06 | 0.12 ± 0.013 | 0.16 ± 0.02 |
All comparisons were made between the infected and control at corresponding days utilising an unpaired t-test for analysis of parametric data and a Mann–Whitney test for non-parametric data.
dpi: days post-infection, n number.
aPreterm euthanasia due to animal welfare concerns.
bAll infected birds were euthanised by the end of 6 dpi due to mild clinical signs (inappetence).
cIt was only possible to collect a sufficient amount of heparin stabilised blood for haptoglobin (PIT54) analysis from four infected birds at 4 days post-infection (dpi).
*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01.