Influence of age and foaling on plasma protein electrophoresis and serum amyloid A and their possible role as markers of equine neonatal septicaemia.

This study investigates the changes in plasma protein electrophoresis (PPE) and serum amyloid A (SAA) concentrations during the first week of life in foals and their possible role as markers for neonatal septicaemia.

Study Design and Participants

• The research was a field study carried out on 29 foals. These participants were divided into two groups: those born through oxytocin-induced labor (group A, 17 foals) and those born through spontaneous labor (group B, 12 foals).

Measurements and Outcomes

• The concentrations of PPE and SAA were measured in the foals at birth and on the first, third, and seventh days of their lives.
• The study also specifically looked at PPE and SAA levels in four foals diagnosed with septicaemia, a severe infection that can spread through the bloodstream, to assess if these parameters could serve as diagnostic markers.

Findings and Interpretation

• At birth, beta-gamma-globulins, a type of protein measured in PPE, were found to be higher in newborn foals from group B. The concentration of these proteins subsequently increased in both groups, hinting at the influence of colostrum intake.
• On the third day, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of their PPE and SAA levels.
• SAA concentrations in foals from both groups showed an increase from day 0 to day 3, before decreasing again on day 7.
• Foals with septicaemia were observed to have lower concentrations of several electrophoretic fractions, likely due to decreased colostrum intake and the presence of bacterial proteases in the bloodstream. These foals also had increased SAA levels.
• Based on these observations, the study concluded that changes in PPE and SAA concentrations, influenced by the foal’s age and type of foaling, might provide useful information in the early diagnosis of neonatal septicaemia.