TITLE:
Physio-pathology of induced endotoxaemia in bovine and its treatment regimen
AUTHORS:
Irtiza Nabi, Digvijay Singh, Naresh Kumar Sood
KEYWORDS:
Blood; Buffalo Calves; Dextran-40; Endotoxemia; Flunixin Meglumine; Hypertonic Saline; Physiology; Pathology
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biomedical Science and Engineering,
Vol.6 No.11,
November
25,
2013
ABSTRACT: Endotoxic shock was induced in five apparently healthy male buffalo calves by i.v infusion of Escherichia coli endotoxin at 5microgram/kilogram (μg/Kg) body weight/hour (BW/hr) for 3 hours. Endotoxin infusion caused clinical signs of restlessness,
respiratory distress, snoring, diarrhoea, profuse
salivation along with the significant
hypoproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia and hypokalemia in all the animals. The
animals were observed up to day 4 or death, whichever was earlier. The treatment
with one time intravenous infusion of hypertonic
saline solution @ 4milliliter/Kilogram body weight (ml/Kg?BW), dextran-40
@ 10 ml/Kg?BW, flunixin meglumine @ 1.1 milligram/Kg?BW
(mg/Kg?BW) and blood @ 20 ml/Kg?BW to these animals alleviated the clinical
signs and significantly raised the circulating glucose level at 4.5 and 5.5 hrs.
The treatment led to survival of three of the
five endotoxemic buffalo calves. The significant hypoproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia,
hypokalemia and hypoglobulinemia continued even after treatment. Gross and histopathologic
findings of congestion, haemorrhage, necrosis in vital organs viz., lungs, liver,
kidneys, brain and intestines were suggestive of endotoxin induced hypoxia and multi-organ
failure. Additionally, emphysema and fibrinous thrombi in microvasculature of lungs
were salient histopathological findings indicating terminal respiratory failure
in the remaining two dead endotoxemic buffalo calves. From clinical signs, plasma
chemistry and pathological lesions, it was concluded that endotoxemia led to a disruption
of critical life processes, but a timely and effective treatment could counter these
deleterious effects and save precious lives.