Serum Copper Concentration and Immune Status of Sheep: Clinical and Laboratory Study

This study was designed to investigate the effect of serum copper concentration on the immune status of sheep. Therefore, this study was carried on 40 sheep (20 diseased sheep and 20 clinically healthy) 1-2 years old from different localities. The selected animals were thoroughly examine and the clinical findings were reported. Copper deficient-sheep showed the clinical signs of ill thrift, limp and glossy wool with depigmentation and retardation of growth in addition to depression of animal viability. Two blood samples were obtained from each sheep and were used for determination of total and differential leucocytic counts, determination of superoxide dismutase enzyme, phagocytic percentage, phagocytic index, copper, zinc, selenium, iron, total proteins, albumin, globulins and immunoglobulins. The obtained results revealed that the phaghocytic ability and killing capacity of neutrophils (phagocytic % and phagocytic index) were reduced. Moreover, the activity of the antioxidant enzyme copper, zinc-superoxide dismutase in ovine neutrophils is decreased. Furthermore, there was decreased levels of blood total proteins, albumin, globulins and immunoglobulins. The treatment with copper improves cellular (phagocytic % and phagocytic index) and humoral immunity (immunoglobulins levels). It could be concluded that copper as a micronutrient is of paramount importance for the immune status and its deficiency adversely affects the cellular and humeral immune status in sheep.