American Journal of Biomedical Research, 2015, Vol. 3, No. 2, 21-28 Available online at http://pubs.sciepub.com/ajbr/3/2/2 © Science and Education Publishing DOI:10.12691/ajbr-3-2-2 Effects of Chronic Alcohol Ingestion on Hematological Parameters in Albino Mice Experimentally Challenged with Escherichia coli Strain 0157:H7 Asuzu Onyeka V. 1 , Nwaehujor Chinaka O. 2,* , Okeke Onyinye S. 3 , Ode Julius O. 4 , Chah Kennedy F. 5 1 Department of Animal Production and health, Faculty of Agriculture, Federal University, Oye-ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria 2 Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, P.M.B. 1115 Calabar, Nigeria 3 Department of Fisheries and Aqua-culture, Faculty of Agriculture, Federal University, Oye-ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria 4 Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Abuja, Nigeria 5 Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria *Corresponding author: chinaka_n@yahoo.com Received December 08, 2015; Revised April 10, 2015; Accepted April 23, 2015 Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of chronic alcohol consumption on hematology when challenged with E. coli strain 0157:H7 using albino mice as experimental model. Eight weeks old mice (26.6 – 35.3 g) of both sexes were used in the study and were divided into 6 groups of 12 mice each using stratified random selection method. Group 1 was given 10 % ethanol (V/V) in their drinking water. Group 2 received 20 % of ethanol. The third group received 30 % of ethanol while Group 4 and 5 received 40 % of alcohol ad-libitum respectively. Group 6 served as control and received only distilled water. The alcohol-treated groups received ethanol for 3 weeks to establish a chronic state of alcoholism and Groups 1-4 were then challenged with E. coli strain 0157:H7 for 7 days. Blood samples were collected via the median canthus of the eyes from the retrobublar plexus. The blood samples were allowed to clot and the sera was obtained by aspiration into Bijou bottles for hematology analysis like packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin (Hb), white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), neutrophil, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophil, and basophil. There was a significance difference (P< 0.05) in the mean WBC, RBC, PCV and Hb values between various groups. The means of WBC of the groups exposed to 10 % alcohol with E. coli (9.2±0.1) had a significantly higher (P<0.05) value than all the other alcohol-treated groups. The mean PCV of groups exposed to 40 % alcohol with E. coli (36.67±0.88), 30 % alcohol with E. coli (37±1.08) and 20 % alcohol with E. coli (37.50±1.19) were significantly (P<0.05) less than that of groups exposed to 10 % alcohol with E. coli (39.60±1.40). Groups that consumed 10% alcohol with E. coli, water with E. coli (41.67±0.88), and water without E. coli (42.25±1.31) were significantly (P<0.05) lower than the group that consumed 40 % alcohol without E. coli challenge (46.25±0.75), but higher than the groups treated with alcohol and challenged with E. coli. There was significant difference (P< 0.05) in the RBC mean values between the various groups. The mean values of groups exposed to 40% alcohol with E. coli (899.2±116.58) and 30 % alcohol with E. coli (923.3±38.37) were significantly (P<0.05) lower than 20 % alcohol with E. coli (978.3±46.39), water with E. coli (985±31.75), water without (998.8±85.81) and 40 % alcohol without E. coli (1068.2±22.58). Neutrophil, lymphocyte and monocyte values across the various groups revealed significant differences (P< 0.05) among the different groups. The results showed that chronic alcohol (ethanol) consumption has adverse pathologic effects on the packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin (Hb), white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), neutrophil, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophil, and basophil. Although alcohol is generally obtained from the fermentation of starch-containing food, its abuse and daily consumption causes damage hematological parameters in the body. Thus, when such a body is challenged with a pathogenic organism, there is less resistance to systemic entry of the cells by the organism, faster access to body cell due to the dehydration effect, and a quick necrotic time due to the toxins produced by such pathogenic organisms. Keywords: alcohol, ethanol, albino mice, Escherichia coli strain 0157:H7, packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin (Hb), white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), neutrophil, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophil, and basophil Cite This Article: Asuzu Onyeka V., Nwaehujor Chinaka O., Okeke Onyinye S., Ode Julius O., and Chah Kennedy F., “Effects of Chronic Alcohol Ingestion on Hematological Parameters in Albino Mice Experimentally Challenged with Escherichia coli Strain 0157:H7.” American Journal of Biomedical Research, vol. 3, no. 2 (2015): 21-28. doi: 10.12691/ajbr-3-2-2.