Investigation of Serum Insulin and Cortisol Concentrations in Foot and Mouth Disease- Infected Cattle in Relation to Changes in Serum Biochemical Variables and Protein Electrophoretic Fractionation Profile

The present study was conducted to monitor serum levels of insulin and Cortisol in foot and mouth disease-infected cattle (FMD) in relation to possible alterations in some biochemical variables and protein electrophoretic fractionation pattern. The study was carried out on two groups of cattle: one group of 15 naturally FMD infected cattle and another group of 10 healthy cattle were used as control. Evaluating parameters included serum levels of insulin, Cortisol, total protein (TP), albumin (Alb), glucose, cholesterol, calcium (Ca), phosphorous (P), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, serum enzymatic activities of alanine amino transferase (ALT) and aspartate amino transferase (AST) as well as serum protein electrophoresis. Results showed a significant increase in serum levels of glucose, cholesterol, phosphorus, AST and Cortisol and a significant decrease in serum concentration of total protein, calcium and insulin. Serum protein electrophoretic fractionation showed a significant decrease in albumin and gamma globulins. There was a significant negative correlation between insulin and serum levels of glucose, cholesterol, phosphorus and Cortisol and a significant positive correlation with serum levels of calcium and total protein. Serum Cortisol concentration was positively correlated with serum levels of glucose, phosphorus and AST and was negatively correlated with albumin, calcium and insulin. Our results indicated that FMD infection in cattle results in hypoinsulinemia and significant increase in serum Cortisol levels. Further, alterations in the biochemical variables and protein electrophoresis pattern seen in FMD-infected cattle are likely seem to be related to changes in serum concentrations of insulin and Cortisol providing an importance of considering these hormones when interpreting blood biochemical changes in cattle infected with FMD. Finally, the present data may provide a better understanding of the disease process and clinical pathology of FMD in cattle.