Experimental salmonellosis in guinea-pigs: Haematological and biochemical studies

Some haematological and biochemical parameters were studied in guinea-pigs infected intraperitoneally with Salmonella dublin 493 at 1x10(6) viable cel ls per animal. The infected animals showed a rise in temperature within 24 h, followed by depression and loss of body weight. On the 15th day post inf ection, haematological studies revealed a significant increase in the total leukocyte count due to both lymphocytosis and neutrophilia, and a decrease in the total erythrocyte count and haemoglobin concentration. There was al so a significantly higher mean corpuscular volume and lower mean corpuscula r haemoglobin concentration, indicating a macrocytic hypochromic anaemia. T he infection caused a significant increase in alanine aminotransferase acti vity and creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and globulin concentrations, and a decrease in albumin and triiodothyronine. There was no significant effect on serum total protein or on thyroxine, or in the activity of aspartate ami notransferase in the serum.