Clinical, Bacteriological, and Histopathological Study of Toxic Puerperal Metritis in Iraqi Buffalo

Abstract

Data were collected from 42 buffalo with toxic puerperal metritis in 2 large herds, with a history of dystocia, prolapse, and retained placenta. All buffalo were subjected to detailed clinical examination including external inspection, vaginoscopy, and transrectal palpation of the cervix, uterus, and ovaries. Swabs for bacteriology and biopsies for histopathology were collected from the uterine lumen from each cow. Character, odor, and estimation of polymorphonuclear cells of the vaginal mucus were scored. Blood samples were collected from cows for creatine kinase and aspartate amino-transferase measurement. The most predisposing factor causing toxic puerperal metritis was retained placenta (52.4%), and the most prevalent bacteria in uterine lumen were Escherichia coli, Arcanobacterium pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Fusobacterium necrophorum (18.5, 16.7, 13.0, and 9.3%, respectively). High levels of polymorphonuclear cells were observed in buffalo infected with A. pyogenes and gram-negative anaerobic bacteria (62.1 and 76.4%). A high prevalence of gram-negative anaerobes was isolated from uteri harboring A. pyogenes (13.0%). Buffalo with toxic puerperal metritis had significantly higher creatine kinase and aspartate aminotransferase activities than controls (499.2 +/- 23.9 and 208.3 +/- 11.3 vs. 242.7 +/- 12.9 and 166.8 +/- 11.5 U/L, respectively). In a conclusion, gram-negative anaerobes and other facultative pathogens including A. pyogenes were important pathogens that cause severe uterine inflammation.

A study on the pathological lesions of oviducts of buffaloes diagnosed at postmortem

“…4 Chronic endometritis, higher degree of fibrosis of blood vessels and atrophy of endometrial glands (H&E X 100) hydrosalpinx and pyosalpinx found in the northern breed of Iraqi buffaloes when compared to Iraqi southern breed (Alwan et al 2001;Al-Fahad et al 2004). It could be accounted for largely due to the high prevalence of toxic puerperal metritis and chronic metritis as found by previous studies (Azawi et al 2007(Azawi et al , 2008a. In addition, these buffaloes were seldom slaughtered for meat because Iraqi northern buffaloes were high producing milk than other Iraqi breeds.…”

“…There is no report concerning these pathological lesions in buffalo oviducts. Although, many reports deal with the isolation of particular pathogens or potential pathogens from the uterus (Azawi and Taha 2002;Taha and Azawi 2003;Jadon et al 2005;Azawi et al 2007Azawi et al , 2008a, there has been no attempt to isolate bacteria from affected oviducts of buffaloes. The aims of this study were to study the prevalence of oviduct abnormalities of buffaloes, investigate bacteria accompanying hydrosalpinx, pyosalpinx and salpingitis.…”

Molecular detection and pathology of Pasteurella multocida B:2 in the reproductive system of pre-pubertal buffalo calves (Bubalus bubalis)

“…Although buffaloes are mainly used for providing milk and meat, they have been traditionally regarded as a poor breeder due to having poor fertility in the majority of conditions under which they are raised. On the other hand, the major problems facing buffalo breeders and farmers are microbial diseases of the female genital tract which causes inflammation and histopathological lesions of the endometrium and lead to poor reproductive efficiency and prolonged intercalving intervals (Azawi 2013;Perera 2011).The incidence rate of uterine infection in buffaloes is much higher than in cattle with numerous bacteria in a variety of combinations have been isolated from infected uteri including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (Azawi et al 2007;Azawi 2013;Pampori and Pandita 2013). However, the involvement of the reproductive system of female buffaloes in the pathogenesis of HS has not been studied yet.…”

Comparison of clinical signs and bacterial isolates of postpartum endometritis in holstein dairy cows in Iran

“…20 Gram-negative anaerobes and other facultative pathogens including T. pyogenesare important pathogens that cause severe uterine inflammation. 21 There is general agreement that T. pyogenes and E. coli are relevant uterine pathogens, T. pyogenes being the most frequently isolated species{LeBlanc, 2002 #18692}. 16 Uterine pathogens, however, were also isolated from the uteri of cows that did not show clinical signs of endometritis.…”