¹University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, 71000 Sarajevo, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
²University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Forensic Medicine, 71000 Sarajevo, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
³University of Sarajevo, Veterinary Faculty, Department of Pathological Physiology of Domestic Animals, 71000 Sarajevo, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
⁴University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, 71000 Sarajevo, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINAH
⁵University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Medicine, PhD student at Faculty of Medicine, 71000 Sarajevo, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
⁶University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Medicine, 71000 Sarajevo, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA DOI : 10.9775/kvfd.2023.30976 An elevated temperature in the environment increases the core body temperature which stimulates thermoregulatory mechanisms. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of elevated temperature on number and shape of leukocytes using descriptive statistics and geometric morphometrics. The study included 32 Wistar rats divided into two groups according to exposed temperature (41°C and 44°C) and more two subgroups in groups associated with death (antemortem and postmortem). Peripheral blood smears were performed before exposure to temperature and after exposure to temperature. The number of leukocytes was determined. Images of peripheral blood smears were taken, on which eight landmarks on the outside of leukocytes were marked in tpsDig program. In the MorphoJ program, we analyzed shape of leukocytes. The results showed significant differences in the number of neutrophils and lymphocytes in subgroup antemortem and in subgroup postmortem exposed to a temperature of 41°C. In group exposed to a temperature of 44°C, a significant difference was found in the number of all leukocytes, except monocytes in the antemortem subgroup, and except basophils and eosinophils in the postmortem subgroup. The results of geometric morphometrics shape analysis showed significant differences in the shape of lymphocytes between subgroups antemortem and postmortem.Exposure to elevated temperature resulted with number and shape changes of leukocytes. Keywords : Hyperthermia, white blood cells, geometric morphometrics, experimental rats