Study on Occurrence of Contagious Equine Metritis in the Genital Tract of Equine.

M. Sobhy, Mona; Fathi, A.; A. Abougazia, Kh.; R. Oshba, M.; H.R. Kotb, M.

doi:10.21608/ejvs.2020.19942.1134

Study on Occurrence of Contagious Equine Metritis in the Genital Tract of Equine.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Reproductive Diseases, Animal Reproduction Research Institute, Agriculture Research Centre (ARC), Cairo, Egypt.

² ImmunityUnits, Animal Reproduction Research Institute, Agriculture Research Centre (ARC), Cairo, Egypt.

³ Ultrasonography and Laparoscope Unit, Animal Reproduction Research Institute, Agriculture Research Centre (ARC), Cairo, Egypt.

10.21608/ejvs.2020.19942.1134

Abstract

Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) is a transmissible venereal disease of equine, causes infertility in mares and spontaneous abortion in pregnant ones. Theetiological agent of CEM is Gram negative bacteria; Taylorellaequigenitalis. In this study,a number of45 clitoral swabswere collected from suspected mares and twenty swabs were fromurethral fossa of stallions. Swabs were kept cool during transportation on Amies with charcoal medium. At the lab, all swabs during 48 hours since they have been collected then cultured on tryptose chocolate blood agar (TBA) plates, and incubated at 37ºC in microaerophilic atmosphere of 5%-10% CO2 in hydrogen of 7 days. The suspected colonies have been examined for biochemical characters of catalase, oxidase and phosphatase.Allmareswere scannedby ultrasound scanner (Sono Scape sonar), vaginal and/or rectal, checked for the presence of any uterine fluid which may indicate the presence of infection. On the other hand, culture investigations revealed 2 (10%) positive cases among stallions and 5 (11.1%) mare’s culture positive for T. equigenitalis. The bacterium is catalase, oxidase and phosphatase positive. The colonies were confirmed by immunofluorescent test and its sensitivity was 100%.Ultrasound examination of three mare’s uteri showing pyometra where their lumen measured 40.6- 57.3 mm fully filled with echogenic particles. While, the uteri of the other two mares showingendometritis which appearedas an echogenicuterine lumen measured 18.6 mm and 37.6 mm with echogenic particles scattered on it. Biosecurity practices can help in preventingspread of CEM by bacterial culture tests on breeding stallions prior to breeding season. Also, urethral swab for CEM testing should be a stallion’s annual breeding exam. According to this study an ultrasound scan at the breeding season to check for the soundness of the mare uteri is strongly recommended.

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