title: Evaluation of the effectiveness of intrauterine treatment with formosulphathiazole of clinical endometritis in postpartum dairy cows.
abstract: In cattle, elimination of bacterial contamination from the uterine lumen after parturition is often delayed or compromised, and pathogenic bacteria can persist, causing uterine disease and infertility. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical and bacteriologic recovery following a single intrauterine administration of formosulphatiazole, cephapirin or placebo in cows with clinical endometritis. Cows (n = 80), no less than 28 days postpartum, with clinical endometritis were enrolled in the study. Endometritis was diagnosed by a complete reproductive examination, including rectal palpation, ultrasonography, vaginoscopy and uterine swab. All cows were randomly assigned to receive one of three intrauterine treatments (T0): 2500 mg of formosulphatiazole (Group A); 500 mg of cephapirin (Group B); placebo (4250 mg of propylene glycol; Group C). Cows were examined at the first estrus after treatment or no more than 30 days after (T1). Bacteria isolated were E. coli, A. pyogenes, Pasteurella spp. and Streptococcus spp. After treatment, in Group A and B only 6/30 (20.0%) and 6/24 (25.0%) cows showed a positive bacteriologic culture (P > 0.05), while in Group C the number of positive animals was significantly higher (19/26; 73.1%; P < 0.05). At T0, total clinical scores were similar between the three groups (Group A: 5.84 ± 1.07; Group B: 5.91 ± 1.0; Group C: 5.62 ± 1.17; P > 0.05) and indicative of clinical endometritis. At T1, endometritis scores were significantly lower than those reported before uterine infusion (P < 0.05); however, Group A and B score, 0.4 ± 0.9 and 1.0 ± 2.1, respectively, correspond to no and slight endometritis, while animals in Group C reported a total endometritis score significantly higher (4.6 ± 3.5; P < 0.05) corresponding to endometritis. In the present study, a commercial formosulphatiazole preparation was as effective as cephapirin and more effective than placebo for the treatment of clinical endometritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia (BO), Italy. gaetano.mari@unibo.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mari
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Iacono
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Toni
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Predieri
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Merlo
mesh_terms: D000282:Administration, Intravaginal; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002514:Cephapirin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003612:Dairying; D004716:Endometritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D010919:Placebos; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000187:drug effects; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D013432:Sulfathiazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010919:Placebos; D013432:Sulfathiazoles; D002514:Cephapirin