title: Relationships between uterine culture, cytology and pregnancy rates in a Thoroughbred practice.
abstract: Endometrial cytology and culture specimens (n=2123) were collected concurrently with a guarded uterine culture instrument from 970 mares (738 barren, 1230 foaling and 155 maiden mares) during three breeding seasons (2001-2004). Results were compared to the 28-d pregnancy rate for the cycle from which the samples were taken. Cytological smears were evaluated for inflammation at x100 and graded as: not inflammatory (0-2 neutrophils/field), moderate inflammation (2-5 neutrophils/field), severe inflammation (>5 neutrophils/field), or hypocellular (scant epithelial cells and no neutrophils). Uterine culture swabs were plated within 6h, incubated for 72 h and results determined at 24, 48, and 72 h. Approximately, 20% (n=423) cytology samples were positive for inflammation (>2 neutrophils), whereas approximately 11% (n=231) of cultures had microorganisms recovered. A majority (64%) of the positive cultures (147/231) had inflammation on cytology smears. Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus was associated with more positive cytology results than coliforms (P<0.01). Mares with positive cytology or culture had lower pregnancy rates than mares with normal findings (P<0.01). Lowest pregnancy rates were recorded for mares with severe endometrial inflammation (21%, versus moderate inflammation 48%). Isolation of a microorganism from mares with endometrial inflammation was not associated with a further reduction in pregnancy rates. In barren, foaling and maiden mares, cytology was positive in 28, 17, and 5%, respectively, and culture was positive in 12.2, 11.1, and 3.2%. Foaling and maiden mares had higher pregnancy rates than barren mares (62, 69, and 44%, respectively, P<0.001). In conclusion, a positive cytology was twice as common as a positive culture, and isolation of microorganisms was associated with reduced pregnancy rates, even in the apparent absence of inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, and Department of Statistics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0027, USA. triddle@roodandriddle.com
authors.forename: W T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Riddle
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: LeBlanc
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Stromberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D004716:Endometritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D006736:Horses; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018502:Streptococcus equi / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014599:Uterus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology