Content of chemical elements in the liver of cattle with fasciolosis and dicrocoeliosis

• Main Authors: O. V. Kruchynenko, M. P. Prus, M. V. Galat, S. M. Mykhailiutenko, O. S. Klymenko, L. M. Kuzmenko
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oles Honchar Dnipro National University 2018-02-01
• Series: Regulatory Mechanisms in Biosystems
• Subjects: microelements; heavy metals; correlation; Fasciola hepatica; Dicrocoelium lanceatum
• Online Access: https://medicine.dp.ua/index.php/med/article/view/400
• ISSN: 2519-8521; 2520-2588

The concentration of chemical ements (Pb, Cd, Cu, As, Zn, Hg, Fe, Co, Mn) in the liver of healthy cattle and those affected by Fasciola hepatica and Dicrocoelium lanceatum in Poltava region (central part of Ukraine) was determined. The research was carried out by the method of atomic and absorption spectrometry carried out at the Regional State Laboratory of Veterinary Medicine in Poltava region. The liver samples (n = 30) from healthy cattle black-and-white breed and those affected by F. hepatica and D. lanceatum were taken at the meat processing plant. The ages of the cattle ranged from 6 to 8 years. The samples were immediately cooled, transported to the laboratory and stored at –20 °C for further analysis. The results of the research determined the average indicators of concentration of some toxic elements in the livers of healthy cattle and those infected by the trematodes. The content of chemical elements in the liver of healthy animals and those affected by fasciola can be represented in the form of a decreasing rank number: Zn > Fe > Cu, and for dicrocoeliosis, respectively, Fe > Zn > Cu. It has been established that Cu and Zn are involved in the metabolic processes of the body of trematodes, which is confirmed by our research. The presence of F. hepatica and D. lanceatum in the body of cattle significantly reduces the level of copper and zinc, with a high inverse correlation dependence on the intensity of infection, thus indicating the possibility of their accumulation by helminths. Concentration of Cu and Zn in the liver of cattle with fasciolosis was 6.82 ± 0.29 and 35.77 ± 1.93 mg/kg, while for animals with dicrocoeliosis it was 3.90 ± 0.25 and 41.91 ± 2.22 mg/kg. The content of cobalt and manganese in the liver of healthy animals was, respectively, 0.05 ± 0.01 and 1.95 ± 0.06 mg/kg. In the case of Fasciola parasitising in the liver tissue, the level of cobalt (0.10 ± 0.02) and manganese (2.55 ± 0.16) significantly increased, positively correlating with the intensity of the infection, indicating no effect on the exchange and bioaccumulation of these elements by helminths.