Enzyme and bilirubin reactions in bovine babesiosis

Four white Fulani calves were splenectomized and experimentally infected with Babesia bigemina by allowing about 2000 freshly hatched infective larvae of Boophilus decoloratus to feed on them. Blood samples were collected to determine serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase, serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin levels. A significant rise in the level of alkaline phosphatase for up to two weeks was observed. There were also increases in the serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase and serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase levels although the level fell after about three weeks. A high increase in the total and unconjugated bilirubin was also observed. There appeared to be no significant increase in these enzymes and in bilirubin in intact cattle on which infected larvae fed and in splenectomised cattle without.