title: Presence and distribution of yeasts in the reproductive tract in healthy female horses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Yeasts are commensal organisms found in the reproductive and gastrointestinal tracts, and on the skin and other mucosa in mammals.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to isolate and identify yeast flora in the caudal reproductive tract in healthy female horses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 453 samples were collected using double-guarded swabs from the vestibule, clitoral fossa and vagina in 151 horses. All samples were cultured on Sabouraud 4% dextrose agar and incubated at 35°C for 7-10 days. Isolates were identified according to their morphological characteristics and biochemical profiles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Yeast colonies were isolated from 60 (39.7%) of the 151 horses. The isolated yeasts belonged to nine genera, and included Candida spp. (53.2%), Cryptococcus spp. (12.2%), Saccharomyces spp. (10.5%), Geotrichum spp. (8.0%), Rhodotorula spp. (7.1%), Malassezia spp. (3.7%), Trichosporon spp. (2.6%), Kluyveromyces spp. (2.6%) and Sporothrix spp. (0.2%). Candida krusei (43.1%) was the most frequent Candida species isolated. There was a significant difference in prevalence between C. krusei and other Candida species (P<0.05). The vestibule contained more yeast isolates (48.0%) than the vagina (18.3%). The isolation of yeast colonies from multiparous females (76.8%) was significantly higher than from maiden mares (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study was limited by the difficulty of distinguishing between normal flora and potential pathogens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Candida spp., in particular C. krusei, represent important flora resident in the caudal reproductive tract in healthy female horses. This is particularly important in contexts that require the initiation of empirical treatment prior to the completion of culture results.
authors.affiliation: Mycology Research Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azarvandi
authors.affiliation: Mycology Research Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Khosravi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Amol University of Special Modern Technologies, Amol, Iran.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shokri
authors.affiliation: Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Talebkhan Garoussi
authors.affiliation: Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gharahgouzlou
authors.affiliation: Mycology Research Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vahedi
authors.affiliation: Mycology Research Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharifzadeh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000662:veterinary; D003470:Culture Media; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000382:microbiology*; D006736:Horses / Q000382:microbiology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D012867:Skin; D015003:Yeasts / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media
keywords: 
  Candida
  ; genital system; horse; multiparous animal; yeast