01890nas a2200277   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653002500055653002500080653001200105653001500117653003200132653002800164653001200192100002100204700002200225700001200247700001100259700002000270700001700290245013600307300001000443490000700453520113800460022001401598       1985                            d  c1985 Jun10aAlanine Transaminase10aAlkaline Phosphatase10aAnimals10aArmadillos10aAspartate Aminotransferases10aL-Lactate Dehydrogenase10aleprosy1 aRojas-Espinosa O1 aQuesada-Pascual F1 aOltra A1 aArce P1 aEstrada-Parra S1 aBuchanan T M00aBiochemical alterations in the serum of armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) infected with Mycobacterium leprae. A preliminary report.  a262-80 v533 a<p>Armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) were inoculated with Mycobacterium leprae isolated from lepromas taken from untreated lepromatous patients or from the spleen of an armadillo previously infected with human M. leprae. The effect of the infection on the serum levels of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase (AlkP), glutamate-oxalacetate (GOT) and glutamate-pyruvate (GPT) transaminases was investigated. In general, there was a good correlation between positive evidences of infection and alterations in the levels of LDH, GOT, and GPT. Although elevations in LDH levels were more striking, elevations in GOT and GPT levels were more consistent with the disease. When an absolute increase in the total LDH activity was not observed in a M. leprae-infected animal, an increase in the level of LDH isozyme V was still clearly evident. Serum levels of alkaline phosphatase were not affected by the disease. The ratio GOT/GPT (greater than 1.0) in the infected animals reflected and supported the chronic nature of the disease and the liver involvement. The enzymatic alterations are not, however, specific for leprosy.</p>  a0148-916X