Journal of Proteomics & Bioinformatics
Open Access

Abstract

The Cortisol Steroid Levels as a Determinant of Health Status in Animals

Akefe Isaac, Yusuf Ibrahim, Adamu Andrew, Dung Edward and Abraham Solomon

The veterinarian is daily faced with the challenge of diagnosing several disease conditions in different animals. Quantifying cortisol levels has been used in the evaluation of anxiety and distress initiated by infectious and non-infectious disease conditions, mismanagement, transportation, adverse environmental temperature and surgical operations. The hormone-cortisol has been implicated in several immunologic and metabolic processes and can thus serve as a marker to monitor animal welfare. Several factors affect the specific test to be carried out and which sample is to be used. Recently, RIA has been identified as the gold standard for determination of cortisol levels. However it also has its own short comings hence the need to utilize other assay techniques such as ELISA, fluorescence techniques and chemical assays which are more common in our environment. There is also prospect for the analysis of cortisol using non-invasive samples such finger nails as well as ear wax for enhanced test results.