Changes in pepsinogen, proteins and lipids in the serum during experimental haemoncosis in sheep.

To determine the relationship between the course of infection by parasites of the genus Haemoncus and variations in the level of serum pepsinogen, an experiment was done with three groups of five lambs. The first was a non-infested control group. The lambs of the second group were given one dose of 10,000 H. contortus infective larvae. The animals of the third group were given one dose of 50,000 larvae. Fluctuations of the level of serum pepsinogen were determined throughout the experimental period (88 days). Observations also included variations of protein and lipid levels. Our experimental results showed that the development of H. contortus larvae, even when in small numbers, can cause lesions comparable to ostertagiosis in abomasum and produce the same rise in the level of serum pepsinogen. This increase in serum pepsinogen appeared to be related to the amount of larvae which were given. The high level of serum pepsinogen persisted over a long period. Variations of the serum, total protein and albumin levels were the same as described by other authors. There was no decrease in serum lipids.