Immunosuppression in goats by dexamethasone and cyclophosphamide.
The influence of dexamethasone and cyclophosphamide on the goat immune system was investigated. Seven goats, with a previous contact with caprine herpesvirus type 1 (CHV-1), were used. All had been vaccinated with live Mycobacterium paratuberculosis vaccine. Six goats were injected intravenously (i.v.) with dexamethasone daily for 5 days (2.5-4 mg/kg BW per day). Three also received 25 mg/kg BW of cyclophosphamide on day 0. The seventh goat was not treated. Dexamethasone alone caused depression, slight lymphopenia and fall in tuberculin reaction. Dexamethasone plus cyclophosphamide caused a severe clinical reaction, marked leukopenia (lymphopenia and polymorphopenia), fall in tuberculin reaction and significant increase in CHV-1 neutralizing antibody titres. M. paratuberculosis antibody reaction was variable and thus difficult to be assessed. CHV-1 was not isolated.
Koptopoulos
G
G
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Laboratory of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Aristotelian University, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Papanastasopoulou
M
M
Lekkas
S
S
Skaragas
G
G
Papadopoulos
O
O
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006041:Goats / Q000276:immunology*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D016927:Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis / Q000276:immunology; D010283:Paratuberculosis / Q000276:immunology; D014374:Tuberculin Test / Q000662:veterinary
D003907:Dexamethasone; D003520:Cyclophosphamide