title: The effects of environment and physiological cyclicity on the immune system of Viperinae.
abstract: One of the important aspects of species' survival is connected with global climate changes, which also conditions the epidemiology of infectious diseases. Poikilotherms are exposed, as other species, to climatic influence, especially due to their physiological peculiarities such as important stages of their life cycle: hibernation, shedding, and active phase. The immune system serves as an accurate indicator of the health status and stress levels in these species. This study aimed to monitor the changes of innate (leukocyte subpopulations and total immune globulins) and adaptive immunity (in vitro leukocyte blast transformation) of two viper species, V. berus berus and V. ammodytes ammodytes, endemic in Europe and spread in different regions of Romania during their three major life cycles, hibernation, shedding, and active phase. The results indicated that seasonal variance and cycle rather than species and regional distribution influence the functionality of the immune system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Manastur street 3-5, 400374 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Lorand
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kobolkuti
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cadar
authors.forename: Gabor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Czirjak
authors.forename: Mihaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niculae
authors.forename: Timea
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kiss
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sandru
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spinu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000097:blood; D057231:Climate Change; D006605:Hibernation; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000097:blood; D012621:Seasons; D013045:Species Specificity; D017819:Viperidae / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D007136:Immunoglobulins