The curative effect of ozonated bidistilled water on Escherichia coli-induced endometritis in rats.

BACKGROUND: Endometritis is a prevalent and challenging condition that affects livestock, and its effective treatment is the use of intrauterine antibiotics. Antibiotic use may lead to negative consequences, including residue in tissues and the emergence of antibiotic resistance. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the therapeutic potential of ozonated bidistilled water in the treatment of Escherichia coli-induced endometritis in rat models, comparing it to conventional antibiotic treatment. METHODS: A total of 21 female Wistar Albino rats were used for this study. E. coli from the uterus of cows with endometritis at a concentration of 1.0 × 109 cfu/mL inoculated into rat uteruses. After inoculation, it was confirmed macroscopically that experimental endometritis was induced in all individuals. And, the rats with endometritis were randomly divided into three groups treated with intrauterine bidistilled water enriched with ozone, antibiotics and 0.9% NaCl. The uterine tissues were examined histopathologically. RESULTS: In the semiquantitative analyses, significantly lower histopathological scores were observed for both the bidistilled water enriched with ozone and antibiotic-treated endometritis groups compared to the control group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Ozone-enriched bidistilled water can be used in the treatment of experimentally induced endometritis in rats, and can provide effective microbiological and histopathological improvement. Further studies involving larger populations of different species are needed to determine the medical suitability of this new treatment.

Investigation of Neospora caninum Seroprevalence and Association with Reproductive Problems in Cows in Burdur Province of Turkey.

BACKGROUND: An apicomplexan protozoon Neospora caninum, causative agent of neosporosis, is recognized as one of the most common and important cause of sporadic and endemic bovine abortion and reduced reproductivity in dairy and beef cattle worldwide. The present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between N. caninum seroprevalence and infertility problems in 400 cows in Burdur, city, Turkey. METHODS: Blood samples were collected from vena jugularis into sterile serum tubes from 49 aborted, 58 infertil, 48 pregnant and 245 healthy cows for the findings of reproductive anamnesis during a period of March 2010 to March 2011. Sera samples were analyzed by competitive ELISA kit. RESULTS: The seroprevalences were 7.7%, 6.4% and 4.2% in 2-4, ≤2 and ≥4 age groups respectively and no statistically significance observed between age groups. Seropositivity rates were 5.7%, 5.1%, 4.5%, 3.6% in Holstein, Montofon, cross-breeds and Simental breeds respectively. Seroprevalence differences was not statistically significant among cattle breeds. Antibodies to N. caninum were found in rates of 16.3%, 6.9%, 6.3%, 2.4% in aborted, infertile, pregnant and healthy cows respectively and there was a significant difference (P<0.01) between aborted and healthy animals. Seroprevalences were Yesilova 10%, Gölhisar and Aglasun 8%, Bucak, Çavdir and Kemer 4%, Karamanli and Burdur Centrum 2%, according to districts. CONCLUSION: The seroprevalence of N. caninum was revealed in Burdur region. It was emphasized that N. caninum infection should not be ignored in reproductive problems, especially in abortion cases.

Effect of flunixin meglumine or prostaglandin E2 treatment 15 days after breeding on fertility in Saanen does.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of timely injections of flunixin meglumine (FM) or vaginal application of prostaglandin E2 (PgE2) on pregnancy, fertility, fecundity, and prolificacy rates in Saanen goats. One hundred and sixty-three nonlactating Saanen does were treated with a flugestone acetate (20 mg)-containing intravaginal sponge for 12 days. They also received eCG (400 IU) and a PGF2α analogue (50 µg) 10 days after progestagen priming. Does detected in estrus were mated and assigned randomly to one of three treatment groups. The PgE2 group (N = 40) received PgE2 (2.5 mg) intravaginally 15 days after mating. The FM group (N = 54) received flunixin meglumine (total dose, 100 mg) intramuscularly 15 days after mating. Flunixin meglumine was administered at 9:00 AM. Animals in the control group (N = 69) received no treatment. Pregnancy was diagnosed using transrectal ultrasonography (B-mode at 8 MHz) 30 days after mating. The pregnancy rate was significantly greater (P < 0.01) after 30 days in goats treated with PgE2 and also in the control group than in those treated with FM (67.5%, 59.4%, and 42.5%, respectively). The pregnancy rate did not differ between the PgE2 and the control group. The pregnancy and fertility rate were lowest in the FM group compared with the other groups. There was no significant difference in the prolificacy rate among experimental groups. In conclusion, our results showed that FM administration during a late luteal phase is detrimental to early pregnancy in goats.

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) infection in relation to fertility in heifers.

In this study, blood serum and leukocyte samples were collected from 400 Holstein heifers, all of which appeared to be healthy. Antibodies (Ab) against bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) were detected in 57 serum samples, and BVDV antigen (Ag) was detected in 38 leukocyte samples. There were statistically important differences between the average first insemination ages (FIT) of the BVDV (Ag-/Ab+) heifers (p<0.0001) (pregnant p<0.05, nonpregnant p<0.0001) and BVDV (Ag-/Ab-) heifers. The average conception rates (CR) of BVDV (Ag-/Ab+) heifers and BVDV (Ag-/Ab-) heifers were not significant statistically. There were statistically important differences in average FIT between persistent infected (PI) BVDV (Ag+/Ab-) heifers (p<0.0001; PI pregnant p<0.05, PI nonpregnant p<0.0001) and BVDV (Ag-/Ab-) heifers. No significant differences in average CR between PI BVDV (Ag+/Ab-) heifers and BVDV (Ag-/Ab-) heifers were found. The differences in average FIT between BVDV (Ag+/Ab+; p<0.0001; nonpregnant p<0.0001) and BVDV (Ag-/Ab-) heifers were important statistically. Although there were no BVDV (Ag+/Ab+) pregnant heifers, the differences in average CR between BVDV (Ag+/Ab+) pregnant heifers and BVDV (Ag-/Ab-) heifers were found to be statistically important (p<0.0001). We conclude that fertility is affected in heifers with BVDV (Ag-/Ab+, Ag+/Ab- and Ag+/Ab+).