title: Relationship between serum acute phase protein concentrations and lesions in finishing pigs.
abstract: To establish the relationship between serum levels of three acute phase proteins, haptoglobin (Hp), C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA), and the occurrence and severity of lesions at slaughter, a study was carried out using 70 fattening pigs from a finishing unit. Pigs were divided into three groups: Group 1 (25 pigs with clinical signs of disease), Group 2 (25 apparently healthy pigs with lesions at slaughter) and Group 3 (20 apparently healthy pigs with no lesions at slaughter). Serum levels of CRP, SAA and Hp were significantly higher in pigs with clinical signs of disease than in apparently healthy animals. Additionally, in apparently healthy pigs, serum levels of Hp and CRP were significantly higher in animals with lesions than those without lesions. The extent and severity of lung lesions were related to serum levels of Hp.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Anatomía y Anatomía Patológica Comparadas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30071 Murcia, Spain. pallares@um.es
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Pallarés
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martínez-Subiela
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seva
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramis
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fuentes
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bernabé
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: José J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Cerón
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006242:Haptoglobins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D006242:Haptoglobins; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein; D002097:C-Reactive Protein