title: Association between postpartum pyrexia and uterine bacterial infection in dairy cattle.
abstract: The temperature of 90 dairy cattle was recorded for the first 10 days after parturition and the animals were categorised as either normal (< 39.7 degreesC) or pyrexic. Swabs were collected from the uterine lumen seven, 14, 21 and 28 days after parturition for aerobic and anaerobic culture; bacteria were identified and their growth was scored semiquantitatively. Blood samples were collected three times a week for the estimation of the concentrations of acute phase proteins. The cows' temperatures were often above the accepted normal range, but it was not a good indicator of the number of bacteria in the uterus. However, pyrexia was correlated with the presence of specific uterine pathogens (P < 0.05) and in particular with Prevotella species (P < 0.01). The pyrexic animals had a higher plasma concentration of the acute phase protein (alpha1-acid glycoprotein (P < 0.05). Although pyrexia is an indicator of postpartum inflammation, additional clinical signs are necessary to identify uterine bacterial infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield AL9 7TA.
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Sheldon
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Rycroft
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D001831:Body Temperature; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D003612:Dairying; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007774:Lactation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018720:Prevotella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011645:Puerperal Infection / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*