Comparative study of effects of infection with parasitic protozoa on serum enzyme levels in rodents

Abstract

Two groups of rats were separately infected with Trypanosoma lewisi and Trypanosoma congolense. During the experiments, rats were sacrificed and samples of serum, heart, intestine, kidney and liver collected. The samples collected were assayed for the enzyme activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatine phosphokinase (CPK), sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH).

In the To lewisi infected rats significant changes occurred in the serum levels of all the previously mentioned enzymes except for LDH. The increases in serum activities that occurred during T, lewisi infection were thought to be caused by a combination of trypanosome damage of the host tissues and destruction of the trypanosomes by the host immune system.

In the T. congolense infected rats significant changes occurred only in the serum levels of SDH and CPK. The increased levels of these enzymes in the serum were attributed to the release into the serum of a combination of host-tissue and trypanosomal enzymes.