Laboratory findings of tracheal wash and bronchoalveolar lavage in normal adult dairy cattle

Figures & data

Table 1. Mean ± SD of complete blood counts, total protein, fibrinogen, TP/F ratio, and blood differential cell counts (per cent and absolute) for 10 adult cattle at days 0, 1, 4, 5, and 6 post-BAL procedure.

Days	Reference Range	0	1	4	5	6
WBC ×10^3/µl	4–12	8.9 ± 3.9	10.1 ± 6.3	8.3 ± 4.1	9.8 ± 6.1	8.2 ± 4.1
RBC ×10^6/µl	5–10	6.6 ± 1	6.2 ± 0.5	6.5 ± 0.5	6.4 ± 0.6	6.6 ± 0.5
HG g/dl	8–15	9.6 ± 1	9.4 ± 0.6	10.2 ± 0.7	10 ± 1	9.8 ± 0.9
HCT %	24–46	30.5 ± 10.3	31.9 ± 1.7	33.6 ± 1.7	32.7 ± 2.6	33.9 ± 2.3
MCV Fl	40–60	51.6 ± 4.4	51.8 ± 4.2	51.5 ± 3.8	51 ± 4.2	51.6 ± 3.9
MCH Pg	11–17	14.7 ± 1.6	15.2 ± 1.2	15.6 ± 1.4	15.5 ± 1.6	15 ± 1.8
Platelets ×10^3/µl	100–800	379.5 ± 88.9	304.4 ± 155.8	404.9 ± 87.6	439.1 ± 100.7	475.2 ± 176.7
TP g/dl	6–8	7.6 ± 0.6	7.7 ± 0.5	7.9 ± 0.5	8.1 ± 0.7*	8.8 ± 0.4*
F mg/dl	100–600	656.9 ± 153.8	656.8 ± 138.2*	628.2 ± 100*	613.9 ± 117.7*	656.8 ± 120.6*
TP/F ratio	12	12	13	13	13	13
Lymph % (abs cell/µl)	45–75 (2500–7500)	62.4 ± 14.4 (5554)	52.8 ± 13.9 (5333)	57.3 ± 13.2 (4756)	58.5 ± 12.6 (5733)	59.2 ± 14.2 (4854)
Seg neut % (abs cell/µl)	15–45 (600–4000)	30.3 ± 12.5 (2697)	39.1 ± 14 (3949)	33.7 ± 10.3 (2797)	33.1 ± 10.3 (3244)	31.9 ± 12.7 (2616)
B neut % (abs cell/µl)	0–2 (0–120)	0 0	0 0	0 0	0.6 ± 1.9 (59)	0.1 ± 0.3 (8)
Eosin % (abs cell/µl)	2–20 (0–2400)	4.1 ± 2 (365)	2.7 ± 2 (273)	3.2 ± 2.3 (266)	3.1 ± 1.9 (304)	4 ± 2.7 (328)
Baso % (abs cell/µl)	0–2 (0–200)	0.1 ± 0.3 8.9	0 0	0 0	0 0	0 0
Mono % (abs cell/µl)	2–7 (25–850)	3.1 ± 1.6 (276)	5.4 ± 4.3 (545)	5.9 ± 3.2 (490)	4.7 ± 2.6 (461)	4.7 ± 3 (385)

abs: absolute, Baso: basophils, B neut: band neutrophils, Eosi: eosinophils, F: fibrinogen, Lymph: lymphocytes, Mono: monocytes, Seg neut: segmented neutrophils, TP: total protein.

*: above normal.

Table 2. Mean ± SD of BAL fluids differential cell counts, total cell counts (manual and automated), and total protein for 8 apparently healthy adult cattle.

Alv. Mac %	Neut %	Lymph %	Eosin %	C.Epith %	Mast %	TCC (cells/µl)		TP g/dl
						Manual	Auto
94.3 ± 3.9	4.3 ± 3.9	1.3 ± 1.2	0 ± 0.1	0.0	0 ± 0.1	175 ± 146	238 ± 169	1>

Alv.Mac: alveolar macrophages, Auto: automated, C.Epith: columnar epithelial cells, Eosin: eosinophils, Lymph: lymphocytes, Mast: mast cells, Neut: neutrophils, TCC: total cell counts, TP: total protein.

Table 3. The microbiological finding of BAL fluids for 8 apparently healthy adult cattle.

Animals	1	2	3	4	5	7	8	10
E.coli	+	−	−	−	+	−	+	+
Bacillus Spp	++	−	−	+	+	+	+	+
Staphylococcus	−	−	−	−	+	+	+	+
Fungus (Aspergillus spp)	+	−	+	+	−	+	+	+

(−) = no growth, (+) = 1–10 colonies, (++) = 10–30 colonies, (+++) = >30 colonies

Figure 1. Alveolar macrophages contain intracytoplasmic pollen grain (arrow) and cellular debris (two arrows) in TW from apparently healthy cattle (Diff-Quick stain, oil immersion).

Figure 2. Binucleated alveolar macrophage in BAL from apparently healthy cattle, arrow (Diff-Quick stain, oil immersion).

Figure 3: Trinucleated alveolar macrophage (arrow) in BAL from apparently healthy cattle, arrow (Diff-Quick stain, oil immersion).

Figure 4. Multinucleated alveolar macrophage in BAL from apparently healthy cattle, arrow (Diff-Quick stain, oil immersion).

Figure 5. Normally segmented non-degenerative neutrophils (arrows) in BAL from apparently healthy cattle, arrow (Diff-Quick stain, oil immersion).

Figure 6. Lymphocyte (arrow) in BAL from apparently healthy cattle (Diff-Quick stain, oil immersion).

Table 4. Mean ± SD of 8 adult cattle complete blood counts, total protein, fibrinogen, TP/F ratio, and blood differential cell counts (per cent and absolute), before TW procedure.

Animals	Reference Range	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
WBC ×10^3/µl	4–12	5.6	6.7	6.4	6.6	7.6	11.4	10	10.5
RBC ×10^6/µl	5–10	6	5.35	8.9	6.55	6.63	6.05	5.7	5.9
HG g/dl	8–15	9	8.4	8.9	8.6	9.2	8.7	9.1	7.9
HCT %	24–46	27.7	26	29.1	27.7	29.2	26.9	29.1	24.8
MCV Fl	40–60	46	49	48	42	44	44	51	42
MCH Pg	11–17	15	15.7	14.6	13.1	13.9	14.3	16	13.3
Platelets ×10^3/µl	100–800	303	328	331	295	340	396	335	363
TP g/dl	6–8	8	7.2	7	6.8	9.5	8.8	6.2	7.8
F mg/dl	100–600	428	428	571	428	428	428	428	571
TP/F	>10	19	17	12	16	22	21	14	14
Lymph % (abs cell/µl)	45–75 (2500–7500)	57 (3192)	50 (3350)	49 (3136)	53 (3498)	37 (2812)	31 (3534)	82 (8200*)	22 (2310)
Seg neut % (abs cell/µl)	15–45 (600–4000)	28 (1568)	44 (2948)	45 (2880)	45 (2970)	58 (4408*)	59 (6726*)	13 (1300)	70 (7350)*
B neut % (abs cell/µl)	0–2 (0–120)	0 0	0 0	0 0	0 0	0 0	0 0	0 0	0 0
Eosin % (abs cell/µl)	2–20 (0–2400)	4 (224)	3 (201)	3 (192)	2 (132)	2 (152)	4 (456)	2 (200)	7 (735)
Baso % (abs cell/µl)	0–2 (0–200)	0 0	0 0	0 0	0 0	0 0	0 0	0 0	0 0
Mono % (abs cell/µl)	2–7 (25–850)	11 (616)	3 (201)	3 (192)	0 0	3 (228)	6 (684)	3 (300)	1 (105)

Baso: basophiles, B neut: band neutrophils, Eosin: eosinophils, F: fibrinogen:, Lymph: lymphocytes, Mono: monocytes, Seg neut: segmented neutrophils, TP: total protein.

*: above normal.

Table 5. Mean ± SD of TW fluids differential cell counts, total protein and total cell counts for 8 apparently healthy adult cattle.

Alv.Mac %	Neut %	Lymph %	Eosin %	C.Epith %	S.Epith %	TP g/dl	TCC Cells/µl
14.7 ± 15.4	42.2 ± 35.7	6.8 ± 16.1	0.1 ± 0.0	26.2 ± 34.8	10.0 ± 26.6	0.2 ± 0.2	457 ± 310.1

Alv.Mac: alveolar macrophages, Auto: automated, C.Epith: columnar epithelial cells, Eosin: eosinophils, Lymph: lymphocytes, Mast: mast cells, Neut: neutrophils, S.Epith: squamous epithelial cells, TCC: total cell counts TP: total protein.

Table 6. The microbiological findings of TW fluids from 7 apparently healthy cattle.

Animals	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
E.coli	+++	+++	+	+	++	+	−	−
Bacillus Spp	+	++	+	++	++	−	+	+
Staphylococcus	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Streptococcus	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Candida	+	+	+	+	+	−	−	+
Fungus (Aspergillus spp)	+	+	+	+	+	+	−	+

(−) = no growth, (+) = 1–10 colonies, (++) = 10–30 colonies, (+++) = >30 colonies.