Abstract

Tularemia, a zoonotic acute febrile invasive disease with rapid intracellular replication resulting in high bacterial densities, accumulation of phagocytes, and extensive tissue necrosis; may be related to increased free radical production and antioxidant depletion and; oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to investigate serum malondialdehyde (MDA) level and superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) activities in patients with tularemia during pre- and post-treatment period and to compare results obtained with data from healthy subjects. A total of 90 subjects (40 patients with tularemia and 50 healthy controls) were enrolled in this study. Peripheral venous blood samples were taken from patients before and 3 months after the treatment. In the control group, blood samples from healthy volunteers were collected only once. Serum MDA level and SOD, GSHPx activities were measured. In the ‘before treatment’ group, MDA concentration was significantly higher than the control group (p<0.001), but GSH-Px activity was lower than the control group (p = 0.006). The SOD activity was similar in the ‘before treatment’ group and the control group (p = 0.235). MDA concentration decreased in the ‘after treatment’ group (p<0.001). In the ‘after treatment’ group, MDA concentration was significantly higher than the control group (p<0.001). GSH-Px activity in the ‘after treatment’ group, but the difference was statistically insignificant (p = 0.105). GSH-Px activity was slightly higher in the control group compared to the ‘after treatment’ group, but the difference was statistically insignificant (p = 0.08). SOD activity has not changed in the ‘after treatment’ group (p = 0.163). Also, SOD activity was similar in the control and the ‘after treatment’ group (p = 0.391). In conclusion, the data obtained from the present study showed that patients with tularemia are exposed to oxidative stress, and oxidative stress decreases after the treatment.

Key words: Tularemia, oxidative stres, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase.