title: Acute-phase response in dairy cows with acute postpartum metritis.
abstract: The diagnostic value of 2 plasma acute-phase proteins, haptoglobin and alpha1-acid glycoprotein, and plasma N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase enzyme activity were studied in 29 newly calved dairy cows. Nineteen had developed acute metritis with putrid vaginal discharge within 2 wk after calving; 10 were clinically healthy controls. Plasma haptoglobin concentration remained low in most cows with acute postpartum metritis. Only the 3 most severely affected cows exhibited a strong haptoglobin response. These were later culled due to poor condition and reduced fertility. This suggests that in acute uterine infection a highly increased haptoglobin concentration indicates poor prognosis for repeat conception. Plasma alpha1-acid glycoprotein concentration increased in acute postpartum metritis, the response pattern being less prominent than that for haptoglobin. The alpha1-acid glycoprotein concentrations did not correlate with severity of disease, and, consequently, the capacity of alpha1-acid glycoprotein in differentiating genital infections was relatively poor. The highest alpha1-acid glycoprotein concentrations were detected in cows with retained placenta and/or dystocia. Plasma N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activity levels did not differ between the cows with acute postpartum metritis and healthy control cows.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hirvonen
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Huszenicza
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kulcsàr
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pyörälä
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction; D000818:Animals; D001424:Bacterial Infections; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004716:Endometritis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006242:Haptoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D009961:Orosomucoid / Q000032:analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D006242:Haptoglobins; D009961:Orosomucoid