Abstract: The acute phase protein serum amyloid A (SAA) has proven potentially useful as an inflammatory marker in the horse, but the knowledge of SAA responses in viral diseases is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate SAA as a marker for acute equine influenza A2 (H3N8) virus infection. This is a highly contagious, serious condition that inflicts suffering on affected horses and predisposes them to secondary bacterial infections and impaired performance. Seventy horses, suffering from equine influenza, as verified by clinical signs and seroconversion, were sampled in the acute (the first 48 h) and convalescent (days 11-22) stages of the disease, and SAA concentrations were determined. Clinical signs and rectal temperature were recorded. Secondary infections, that could have influenced SAA concentrations, were clinically suspected in 4 horses. SAA concentrations were higher in the acute stage than in the convalescent stage, and there was a statistically positive relationship between acute stage SAA concentrations and clinical signs and between acute stage SAA concentrations and maximal rectal temperature. Horses sampled early in the acute stage had lower SAA concentrations than those sampled later, indicating increasing concentrations during the first 48 h. There was a statistically positive relationship between convalescent SAA concentrations and degree of clinical signs during the disease process. The results of this investigation indicate that equine SAA responds to equine influenza infection by increasing in concentration during the first 48 h of clinical signs and returning to baseline within 11-22 days in uncomplicated cases. Akutfasproteinet serum amyloid A (SAA) har visat sig vara potentiell användbart som inflammationsmarkör på häst, men kunskapen om SAA-svaret vid virusinfektioner är begränsad. Syftet med denna studie var att utvärdera SAA som markör för akut infektion med hästinfluensa A2 (H3N8) virus. Detta är en höggradigt smittsam, allvarlig sjukdom som utsätter drabbade hästar för lidande och predisponerar dem för sekundära bakteriella infektioner och nedsatt prestationsförmåga. Blodprov togs i akut- (de första 48 timmarna ) och konvalescensstadium (dag 11–22) på 70 hästar med hästinfluensainfektion och SAA-koncentrationen i proverna bestämdes. Infektionen verifierades med hjälp av kliniska symptom och serokonversion. Kliniska symptom och kroppstemperatur registrerades. Fyra hästar visade kliniska tecken på sekundärinfektioner, som kan ha påverkat SAA-koncentrationerna. SAA-koncentrationerna var högre i det akuta stadiet än i konvalescensstadiet och ett positivt samband kunde påvisas statistiskt mellan SAA i akutstadiet och kliniska symptom samt mellan SAA i akutstadiet och den maximala kroppstemperaturen. Hästar som provtogs tidigt i akutstadiet hade lägre SAA-koncentrationer än de hästar som provtogs senare i akutstadiet, vilket antyder art SAA ökade i koncentration under de första 48 timmarna. Ett positivt statistiskt samband påvisades också mellan SAA-koncentrationer i konvalescensstadiet och graden av kliniska symptom under sjukdomsprocessen. Resultaten av denna undersökning antyder att akut hästinfluensa ger upphov till stigande SAA-koncentrationer i serum under den kliniska sjukdomens första 48 timmar och att koncentrationerna åter är normala inom 11–22 dagar i okomplicerade fall.
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This research examines the potential efficacy of serum amyloid A (SAA) as an indicator for acute equine influenza A2 (H3N8) virus infection. The results indicated that SAA concentration levels increase during the initial stages of the disease and return to normal within 11-22 days, making it a potential marker for diagnosing and tracking the progression of equine influenza.
Introduction
The research aims to evaluate the ability of serum amyloid A (SAA) as a potential inflammatory marker for acute equine influenza A2 (H3N8) infection.
Equine influenza, caused by the Influenza A virus, is highly infectious and can cause severe distress in horses, creating potential for secondary bacterial infections and decreased performance.
Current knowledge about SAA responses within viral diseases is limited and this study aims to contribute to this knowledge area.
Methodology
The study involved a sample size of 70 horses proven to be suffering from equine influenza through clinical signs and seroconversion.
Blood samples were taken from these horses during the acute phase (initial 48 hours) and the convalescent phase (days 11-22) of the illness.
Each horse had its clinical signs and rectal temperature recorded. Among the 70 horses, four were suspected to have secondary infections which could potentially influence SAA concentrations.
Findings
The research found that SAA levels in the horses were higher during the acute stage of the disease than in the convalescent stage.
A statistically significant relationship was determined between elevated SAA levels during the acute stage and certain clinical signs, as well as between elevated SAA levels and maximum rectal temperature.
Horses that were sampled earlier in the acute phase displayed lower SAA concentrations than those sampled later, suggesting an increase in SAA concentrations during the initial 48 hours of the disease.
Conclusion
The research concludes that SAA responds to equine influenza infection by increasing in concentration during the first 48 hours of clinical signs and returning to baseline within 11-22 days in uncomplicated cases.
This suggests that SAA could serve as a potentially useful diagnostic and prognostic marker in equine influenza.
Cite This Article
APA
Hultén C, Sandgren B, Skiöldebrand E, Klingeborn B, Marhaug G, Forsberg M.
(2000).
The acute phase protein serum amyloid A (SAA) as an inflammatory marker in equine influenza virus infection.
Acta Vet Scand, 40(4), 323-333.
https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03547012
Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden. cecilia.hulten@klke.slu.se
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