DOI: 10.31196/huvfd.1914854 ISSN: 2146-717X

Effects of Hepatozoon Infection on PON-1 Activity and Sialic Acid Levels in Dogs

Lale Başer, Nilgün Aydın, Abdulsamed Kükürt, Neslihan Ölmez
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Hepatozoon infections are tick-borne protozoan diseases commonly observed in dogs; however, their effects on the host's biochemical and oxidative stress parameters remain poorly understood. The present study aimed to evaluate serum total sialic acid (TSA), paraoxonase 1 (PON-1), reduced glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in dogs naturally infected with Hepatozoon spp. This study was conducted on dogs housed at the Kars Municipality Animal Shelter in Kars Province, northeastern Türkiye. Blood samples were collected from a total of 50 dogs for molecular and biochemical analyses, and infection status was determined using PCR. Based on PCR results, approximately 60% of the dogs were Hepatozoon spp.-positive, while the remaining animals served as apparently healthy controls. Serum TSA, PON-1, GSH, and MDA concentrations were measured using standard biochemical assays. Results showed that serum TSA and MDA levels were significantly higher (p<0.05), while PON-1 activity was significantly lower (p<0.05) and GSH levels were significantly decreased (p<0.01) in infected dogs compared to PCR-negative controls. A comprehensive literature review indicated that TSA and PON-1 have not been previously assessed in canine Hepatozoon infections, highlighting the novelty of these findings. These results contribute to a better understanding of the host's biochemical and oxidative stress responses to Hepatozoon infections and suggest that TSA, PON-1, GSH, and MDA may serve as potential biomarkers for disease monitoring.

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