Bacteriological findings in the genital tract of cows during the puerperium. III. The course of bacterial colonization; effect of intrauterine treatment on uterine flora
Luginbuhl, A.; Kupfer, U.
Schweizer Archiv für Tierheilkunde 123(1): 13-18
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0036-7281 PMID: 7221534 Document Number: 181528
Cervical swabs were taken from 176 untreated cows at 2-week intervals between the 2nd and 5th week after parturition. Corynebacterium pyogenes and Escherichia coli were the pathogens most frequently isolated. By comparing results from the two sampling dates it was concluded that there is a great deal of fluctuation in bacterial colonization of the genital tract and there was considerable new colonization as well as large amounts of elimination of bacteria. In 48 cows given intra-uterine antibiotic treatment after the first cervical swab, based on changes in cervical mucus, there was a significantly less new colonization than in untreated cows. There did not seem to be an improvement in amount of elimination. This was possibly due to location of bacteria deep in the endometrium. It is suggested that failure of intra-uterine treatment may in some cases be due to an insufficient concentration of the drug in the tissues when the bacteria are located.