title: Clinical, bacteriologic, serologic, and pathologic features of infections with atypical Taylorella equigenitalis in mares.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize clinical, serologic, bacteriologic, cytologic, and pathologic endometrial responses of mares to 2 donkey-origin atypical bacterial isolates resembling Taylorella equigenitalis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective in vivo study.
  
  
  METHODS
  10 healthy mares.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mares in estrus (2/group) were inoculated by intrauterine infusion with 2 isolates of classic T equigenitalis or 2 isolates of atypical Taylorella sp or were sham-inoculated. Bacteriologic, serologic, clinical, uterine, cytologic, and pathologic endometrial responses were assessed 4, 11, 21, 35, and 63 days after inoculation and on day 111 in mares with positive culture results on day 63.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One atypical isolate failed to cause infection. The second atypical isolate and both classic T equigenitalis isolates induced similar transient metritis and cervicitis. Both classic isolates and 1 atypical isolate induced anti-T equigenitalis complement-fixing antibodies detectable at day 11. Classic isolates and an atypical isolate provoked intense neutrophilic endometritis followed by a resolving, subacute, neutrophilic-mononuclear endometrial response. The atypical isolate and classic isolates were recovered from the uterus, clitoral fossa, or clitoral sinus of one or both exposed mares for as long as 111 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Atypical Taylorella sp infections should be considered as a differential diagnosis of equine infertility in US-origin mares, even those not exposed to stallions from countries where contagious equine metritis occurs. The origins and prevalence of atypical Taylorella sp infection in US horses and donkeys are undetermined.
authors.affiliation: National Veterinary Services Laboratories, USDA, Ames, IA 50010, USA.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Hutto
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Schroeder-Tucker
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Carew
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Donahue
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Hirsh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D004716:Endometritis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000473:pathology; D018397:Equidae; D005260:Female; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006736:Horses; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020625:Taylorella equigenitalis / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial