Evaluation of oxidant/antioxidant status, trace mineral levels, and erythrocyte osmotic fragility in goats naturally infected with Anaplasma ovis.

Anaplasma ovis, an arthropod-borne pathogen that infects erythrocytes, is the major cause of ovine and caprine anaplasmosis. This study was performed to assess in goats infected with A. ovis the osmotic fragility of erythrocytes, antioxidant status, and serum levels of microminerals. Blood samples were collected from 104 mixed breed goats in Ahvaz area, southwest Iran and subjected to parasitologic, hematologic, oxidant/antioxidant, and micromineral assessment. Anaplasma infection was detected in 30 samples (28.8 %) by microscopic examination of blood smears while PCR-RFLP analysis revealed infection with A. ovis in 68 samples (65.4 %). Studied animals were divided into three groups based on A. ovis infection: Uninfected goats as control group (group 1), PCR positive without parasitemia (group 2) and PCR positive with parasitemia (group 3). Hematological evaluation showed significantly increased lymphocyte and monocyte counts in Anaplasma-infected groups (group 2 and 3). A significantly lower MCHC and higher MCV were also observed in infected groups. In group 3 significant rises in erythrocyte's osmotic fragility in different salt concentrations and also in median corpuscular fragility (MCF) was seen. Evaluation of the antioxidant defense system of the erythrocytes revealed a decrease in total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in group 3. There was no significant difference in serum micromineral levels between infected and uninfected animals. Overall, the observed substantial decrease in the antioxidant enzyme activities with remarkable elevated levels of erythrocyte osmotic fragility indicate high exposure of erythrocytes to oxidative damage in Anaplasma-infected goats. These results also suggest that the disturbed antioxidant defense mechanisms in caprine anaplasmosis can promote the development of anemia.