title: Persistence of uterine bacterial infection, and its associations with endometritis and ovarian function in postpartum dairy cows.
abstract: We investigated the relationship between the persistence of uterine bacterial infections with cytologically determined endometritis and ovarian function in 65 postpartum Holstein cows. Vaginal mucus discharges were collected, and endometrial smear samples (n = 130) were collected for cytological and bacteriological examinations from the cows at weeks 5 and 7 postpartum (pp). Blood samples were collected at weeks 3, 5 and 7 pp to determine plasma progesterone concentrations to monitor ovarian activity. According to the bacteriological examination, cows were classified into four groups. The first group (n = 32; 49%) comprised cows negative for bacteria at weeks 5 and 7 pp. The second group (n = 11; 17%) comprised cows with bacterial infections at week 5 pp but that were clear of infection at week 7 pp. The third group (n = 12; 19%) comprised cows without bacteria at week 5 pp but that acquired an infection by week 7 pp. The fourth group (n = 10; 15%) comprised cows with bacterial infections at weeks 5 and 7 pp (persistence of infection). A positive correlation (P < 0.001) was noted between the severity of cytologically determined endometritis, purulent vaginal discharge and the persistence of infection. Cows with persistent infections had a significantly (P < 0.01) prolonged luteal phase compared with cows without infection. In conclusion, the prevalence of cytologically determined endometritis and prolonged luteal phase were significantly increased in cows with persistent infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University 020-8550, Japan; Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed Elshabrawy
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ghanem
authors.forename: Erisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tezuka
authors.forename: Bhuminand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Devkota
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Izaike
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Osawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D004716:Endometritis / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D007249:Inflammation; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000382:microbiology; D008183:Luteal Phase; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000382:microbiology; D010053:Ovary / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D015995:Prevalence; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014599:Uterus / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D011374:Progesterone