EFFECT OF DIROFILARIA REPENS EXTRACT ON HEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF MICE IN A SINGLE INJECTION

Dirofilaria repens infection is widespread in animals in the Russian Federation; however, morphological changes in this disease are not described sufficiently, and carcinogenic effects of helminths to the host organism are not established. We have studied blood changes in mice after a single subcutaneous injection of somatic extract from mature Dirofilaria. The mice were euthanized after 12 hours; blood samples were taken for а complete blood count (CBC) by an automated hematology analyzer and for slides preparation to count a white blood cell differential. In the control group, all the studied parameters were within the reference values with the exception of increased hematocrit. According to the results of the leukogram analysis in mice of the control group, slight lymphocytopenia, and an increase in the number of immature and stab neutrophils were recorded. After a single injection of the D. repens extract, two specimens from the experimental group showed only increased hematocrit, while other animals had leukocytopenia. The count of white blood cells in the experimental group detected neutrophilic leukocytosis with an increase in the number of immature, stab and segmented neutrophils. The detected changes indicate initiated nonspecific immune response.