ACID-BASE DISTURBANCES IN THE RABBIT DURING EXPERIMENTAL HEPATIC PARASITOSIS

Acid-base disturbances were examined during experimentally induced inf ection in the rabbit with Eimeria stiedai, a parasite that profoundly modifies liver morphology and physiology, resulting in anatomical and functional alterations similar to those appearing in different human h epatic diseases. Over 28 days of infection, bicarbonate and lactate co ncentrations, partial pressures of O-2 and CO2, and pH values were det ermined in the blood and bile of infected animals and compared with th e values obtained in noninfected rabbits. The plasma activity of sever al liver-indicator enzymes was also evaluated. Under our experimental conditions we observed an uncompensated metabolic acidosis that develo ped with elevated levels of lactate and reduced concentrations of bica rbonate in blood and bile and tended to be compensated by respiratory and biliary mechanisms.