Serum biochemical and oxidative status in Holstein cattle affected with foot and mouth disease

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a severe, highly contagious viral disease of cloven-hoofed ruminants caused by an aphthovirus of the family Picornaviridae. The disease in cattle is clinically characterized by fever and vesicles on the foot, in the oral cavity and on the mammary gland.This study was carried out to determine the changes in some serum biochemical parameters of cattle naturally infected with FMD O in Shahrekord district, Iran. For this purpose, blood samples were obtained from 23 Holsteins with clinical signs of FMD, as well as 22 blood samples from healthy animals. Serum analysis revealed significantly higher levels of AST, CK, CK-MB and LDH activities as well as MDA, troponin I, glucose and triglycerides concentrations in FMD-affected cattle compared to healthy control group (p < 0.05). Serum GPx and SOD activities in cattle with FMD were significantly lower than those in normal animals (p < 0.05), while there was no significant difference in serum CAT activity between 2 groups of animals. It is concluded that oxidative stress and some degrees of myocardial and pancreatic lesions develop in FMD-affected cattle. These findings provided information to better understand the pathogenesis of the disease and gives further insight to improve supportive treatment procedures in FMD virus infection in cattle.