BLOOD ENZYME CHANGES IN THE FEMALE MULE D UCK (CAIRINA-MOSCHATA X ANAS-PLATYRHYNCHOS) EXPERIMENTALLY INFECTED WITH EIMERIA-MULARDI

Blood levels of alkaline phosphatase (AP = PA), aspartate aminotransfe rase (AST = AsAT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT = AIAT), creatine kin ase (CK = CPK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were studied in 48 11-d ay-old female mule ducks infected per os with 5 x 10(3), 5 x 10(4) or 5 x 10(5) sporulated oocysts of Eimeria mulardi or kept as an uninfect ed control group. Results were obtained from the day before to 25 days after inoculation. Mortality and weight loss were observed only with 5 x 10(5) oocysts from day 6. AP was significantly reduced on day 5 by 5 x 10(4) oocysts and on day 3 by 5 x 10(5) oocysts. Concentrations w ere lowest on day 9 (35 and 83%, respectively, of the control group) a nd returned to normal values by day 11 and day 15, respectively. Chang es in AST, ALT, CK and LDH seemed to be less well correlated with the infection of Eimeria mulardi. This work supports the possible use of A P levels for diagnosis.