Changes in blood cellular components, serum protein concentrations and serum enzyme activities in buffaloes infested with Fasciola gigantica.

Of 510 adult buffaloes examined, 88 (17.3 per cent) were found to be suffering from Fasciola gigantica infestation. There was a reduction in the haemoglobin, packed cell volume and red blood cell count in the fasciola affected buffaloes and an increase in their white blood cell count. There was no significant change in mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin or mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration in the fasciola affected buffaloes. There was also a decrease in total serum protein and albumin concentrations and in the albumin globulin ratio and significant increase in alpha globulin and gamma globulin concentrations and in the activity of the serum enzymes aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, serum alkaline phosphatase and ornithine carbamoyl transferase.