title: Bacteriological findings in different fractions of canine ejaculates showing normospermia, teratozoospermia or azoospermia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is little available information on the distinction between physiological and pathological bacterial flora in dog semen, or in fractions of the canine ejaculate. In order to improve the diagnostic basis, the present study describes the bacteriological findings in canine semen samples.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ejaculates were assigned to three groups: Group A, normospermia (n = 30); Group B, teratozoospermia (n = 33); Group C, azoospermia (n = 29).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our data show that irrespective of semen quality, bacterial contamination and stronger bacterial growth is more common in the pre-sperm fraction than in the other two fractions. The number of bacteria and bacterial species did not vary between the three fractions or the three groups of dogs. Bacteria regarded as potentially pathogenic (β-haemolytic Streptococci, Escherichia coli variation haemolytica) could be isolated in every group, with β-haemolytic Streptococci tending to occur more frequently in all ejaculate fractions from dogs with teratozoospermia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data emphasise that the first fraction is more contaminated with bacteria than the second and third fractions which may be due to bacteria ascending from the urethra. The use of a fractionated collection of canine ejaculates seems to be beneficial to reduce or prevent bacterial contaminations.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Andrology of Large and Small Animals, Justus-Liebig University, Frankfurter Str. 106, 35392 Giessen, Germany Sandra.Pesch@vetmed.uni-giessen.deInstitute for Hygiene and Infectious Diseases of Animals, Justus-Liebig University, Frankfurter Str. 85-89, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goericke-Pesch
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wehrend
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D003030:Coagulase; D004285:Dogs / Q000382:microbiology*; D004542:Ejaculation; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen / Q000382:microbiology*; D055101:Semen Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D003030:Coagulase
keywords: bacterial contamination; dog semen; pre-sperm fraction; β-haemolytic Streptococci