Understanding the Body's Defense and Stress Response in Common Animal Infections

Jenn Hoskins
12th August, 2024

Understanding the Body's Defense and Stress Response in Common Animal Infections

Image Source: Natural Science News, 2024

Key Findings

  • Researchers at Shiraz University, Iran, found that dietary turmeric reduces oxidative stress in sheep with coccidiosis
  • Infected goats showed improved health with dietary supplements that restore antioxidant balance
  • Herbal additives like grape seed extract and turmeric help mitigate oxidative damage in poultry with coccidiosis
Coccidiosis is a significant disease affecting domestic animals worldwide, causing substantial economic losses. This disease is characterized by oxidative stress (OS) and the acute phase response (APR), both of which contribute to its pathogenicity. A recent study conducted by researchers at Shiraz University, Iran, explores how dietary additives can mitigate these effects in infected animals[1]. The study highlights that parasitic infections trigger the APR, a set of hormonal and metabolic changes aimed at restoring body stability and enhancing healing. In particular, ovine (sheep) coccidiosis can induce OS, which is preventable through dietary interventions. The researchers found that incorporating Curcuma longa (turmeric) into the diets of infected sheep reduces lipid peroxidation (LPO) and nitric oxide (NO) production while improving serum antioxidant capacity and interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels. These findings suggest that turmeric can play a crucial role in mitigating the harmful effects of coccidiosis in sheep. Similarly, caprine (goat) coccidiosis activates the APR, leading to elevated concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) and total homocysteine. Infected goats also exhibit reduced levels of essential enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione reductase (GR), along with decreased levels of zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), selenium (Se), vitamin C, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). These deficiencies highlight the importance of dietary supplements to restore antioxidant balance and improve overall health in infected goats. Bovine (cattle) coccidiosis is also linked to increased MDA concentrations and reduced serum glutathione (GSH) and TAC levels. The study underscores the need for dietary interventions to enhance antioxidant defenses in cattle, thereby reducing the oxidative damage caused by coccidiosis. In poultry, Eimeria infections induce OS and inflammatory damage by releasing pro-inflammatory mediators from cells. This results in increased activity of catalase (CAT) and SOD, along with elevated lipid peroxidation and damage to the intestinal epithelium. The study suggests that herbal food additives such as grape seed proanthocyanidine extract, Curcuma longa, and Rumex nervosus leaf extract can promote the antioxidant system in infected birds, thereby mitigating the damage caused by coccidiosis. These findings align with previous research on the use of biosynthesized selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) to treat coccidiosis in poultry. For instance, one study demonstrated that SeNPs significantly reduced oocyst counts and oxidative stress markers in broiler chickens infected with Eimeria tenella[2]. Another study showed that SeNPs, when administered to mice infected with Eimeria papillata, drastically lowered oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in jejunal tissue[3]. These studies collectively highlight the potential of nanomedicine and dietary supplements in managing coccidiosis across different animal species. The Shiraz University study also notes the lack of research on OS and APR in camels, horses, dogs, and cats with coccidiosis. This gap underscores the need for further studies to explore effective treatments for these animals. However, the current findings provide a solid foundation for developing dietary strategies to mitigate the effects of coccidiosis in various domestic animals. In summary, the study conducted by Shiraz University demonstrates that dietary additives such as Curcuma longa can effectively reduce oxidative stress and improve antioxidant capacity in animals infected with coccidiosis. These findings, supported by earlier research on the efficacy of SeNPs and other herbal additives, offer promising avenues for managing this economically significant disease.

HealthBiochemAnimal Science

References

Main Study

1) Acute phase response and oxidative stress in coccidiosis: A review in domestic animals.

Published 10th August, 2024

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2024.110286

Related Studies

2) Supplementing broiler diets with bacterial selenium nanoparticles enhancing performance, carcass traits, blood indices, antioxidant status, and caecal microbiota of Eimeria tenella-infected broiler chickens.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2023.103111

3) Biosynthesized selenium nanoparticles to rescue coccidiosis-mediated oxidative stress, apoptosis and inflammation in the jejunum of mice.

https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1139899


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