The influence of industrial intoxication with copper on selected parameters of cellular immunity in sheep

In the present study we investigated the dynamics of selected parameters of cellular immunity (metabolic activity of phagocytes, bactericidal activity of phagocytes and polyclonal activation of lymphocytes) in improved Vallac hian sheep during natural chronic intoxication with copper emitted by a cop per producing industrial plant. Sheep were reared for five years close to t he industrial plant producing non-ferrous metals. Each of ten experimental sheep (groups A, B) received 2.5 g per day of the material emitted by the p lant mentioned through an individual stomach tube to imitate natural intoxi cation after their transport to the clinic. In addition to that, sheep of t he group B received in the same way 400 mg of ammonium molybdate and 800 mg of sodium sulphate until the 24th day of experiment for a therapeutic purp ose. Three clinically healthy sheep of the same age represented a control g roup. The blood from all animals was sampled from v. jugularis before the e xperiment and on days 10, 17, 24, 31, 38 and 45. During the entire experime nt, the metabolic activity of phagocytes, reflected in the values of index of metabolic activity, showed a significant decrease (p < 0.01) in both exp erimental groups in comparison with the control and an increase in the numb er of surviving bacteria which exceeded the physiological limit in the test of bactericidal activity of phagocytes. Similar to that, the values of mig ration index during polyclonal activation of lymphocytes with phytohaemaggl utinine pointed to the decreased response of lymphocytes to the mitogenic s timulus in both experimental groups in comparison with the control (p < 0.0 1; p < 0.05, resp.). The therapeutical administration of ammonium molybdate and sodium sulphate to sheep of the group B had no effect on the parameter s of cellular immunity investigated when compared with the group A. The val ues of selected parameters of cellular immunity in sheep which exhibited ch ronic cuprotoxicosis allowed us to state that the emissions from the copper producing plant caused an immunosuppressive effect in the sheep investigat ed, manifested by decreased values of metabolic and bactericidal activity o f phagocytes as well as by the decreased response of lymphocytes to mitogen ic activation.