Cytology of Bronchoalveolar Lavage in Goats: Neutrophilto- Lymphocyte Ratio as a Biomarker of Pneumonic Consolidation

Özet

The cytology of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid of somemorphological types of caprine pneumonia was examinedin Red Sokoto breed of goats. Lung lavage fluid was collectedfrom 93 randomly selected normal and pathologic lungsamples post slaughter. The total and differential white bloodcell counts of the BAL fluid were determined, characterized,and compared on the basis of different morphologic formsof pneumonia confirmed by histopathology. Macrophage-to-neutrophil (MNR) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR)ratios were computed and assessed for relationship with lungconsolidation. The pneumonic lungs generally showed a significantincrease in cellularity compared with normal lungs (p <.05). The differential cell counts showed a significant increasein the lymphocyte population (37.5%) in interstitial pneumoniclungs and an increase in the neutrophil population (55.4%)in the bronchopneumonic lungs compared with the control.Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis showed a significantlypositive relationship between NLR and lung consolidation (r= .986; p = .000) of bronchopneumonic lungs at p < .01 (95%confidence interval). NLR increased as the lung consolidationincreased. This study shows that BAL is an effective tool in thediagnosis of bronchopneumonia and interstitial pneumoniasin goats and also demonstrates the potentials of NLRs of BALfluid cytology as an indicator of severity of lung consolidation.