Prevalence of potentially pathogenic bacteria as genital pathogens in dairy cattle.
Bacteria on the genital mucosa have been studied less in healthy, non-puerperal cows than in cows with puerperal endometritis. We have thus analysed bacteria in swabs from the vagina and cervix of post-puerperal cattle (n = 644). Out of the animals, 6.8% had aborted within the last 12 months, 2.6% and 11.6% showed signs of vaginitis and endometritis, respectively. In 17.2% of cervical swabs pathogenic gram-positive and in 11.5% pathogenic gram-negative bacteria were found. Arcanobacterium pyogenes was isolated from 41.3% of cows with endometritis and from 3.5% without endometritis (p < 0.05). From 12.5% of cows with abortion but from no cow without abortion, Staphylococcus aureus was recovered (p < 0.05). Out of 383 vaginal swabs, 88.3% were positive. In 3.4% of swabs pathogenic gram-positive and in 16.7% pathogenic gram-negative microorganisms were found. The percentage of positive vaginal swabs did not differ between pregnant and non-pregnant animals. In the genital tract, the percentage of swabs positive for normal mucosal bacteria decreased from caudally to cranially (p < 0.05). Pathogenic bacteria were found more often in cervical than in vaginal swabs (p < 0.05). In conclusion, bacteria on the vaginal and cervical mucosa in cattle involve a wide range of species. In animals without endometritis or vaginitis, colonization of the mucosa rather than infection has to be assumed.
Petit
T
T
Clinic for Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Andrology, Department of Animal Breeding and Reproduction, University of Veterinary Sciences, Vienna, Austria.
Spergser
J
J
Rosengarten
R
R
Aurich
J
J
D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D055667:Arcanobacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000382:microbiology; D003612:Dairying; D004716:Endometritis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000382:microbiology*; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000382:microbiology; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000662:veterinary; D014627:Vaginitis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary