EN
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of Mannheimia haemolytica leukotoxin (Lkt) on cellular immune response in clinically-healthy calves given intravenously 25 µg per animal of M. haemolytica Al Lkt. The alternations of peripheral blood leukocytes were examined with a flow cytometry. The Lkt treated calves were compared with the non-treated controls before (0) and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 24 h after the treatment. The following parameters were assayed: white blood cell (WBC) count, percentage of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL), mid-size leukocytes, total percentage of lymphocytes and their subsets: CD2⁺ (T lymphocytes), CD4⁺ (T helper lymphocytes), and CD8⁺ (T suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocytes) with CD4⁺: CD8⁺ratio, and also WC4⁺ cells (B lymphocytes). The obtained results showed that in the treated calves, the WBC count, the percentages of PMNL, mid-size leukocytes, and some subpopulations of peripheral lymphocytes (CD2⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺) were significantly lower compared with the controls during the first of three hours of the experiment, and then the parameters increased and returned to the physiological level.