Endoscopic sampling of microflora in the canine uterus during estrous
The microbial population of the uterus fluctuates during the estrous cycle. potentially effecting the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy in bitches. The endoscopic samples obtained were collected from the vagina and uterus of twenty female adult mixed-breed dogs.
The uterine lavage samples were prepared for cytology, bacterial (aerobic and anaerobic) and fungal cultures. Uterine tissue samples were evaluated for the presence of E. coli by the polymerase chain reaction. The pure growth of bacteria was observed in seven plates out of the nineteen cultured samples (36.84%) and five Gram-negative and two Gram-positive bacteria were detected.
The highest number of isolated bacteria was related to the samples of the diestrus and anestrus stages of the estrous cycle, while the lowest number of bacteria was observed in the samples of the estrous stage. The species Citrobacter were the most frequent group of isolated bacteria.
Neutrophils were detected in the cytology of uterine samples, and fungal growth was observed in three uterine samples. Cladosporium and Penicillium bacteria were isolated from the samples related to the estrus stage, and yeast was grown in diestrus samples.
The 16srRNA gene existed in all of the estrous uterine samples in which the bacterial culture was negative. However, the presence of this gene was proven in two samples (33.30%) of negative bacterial culture samples from the diestrus and anestrus stages.
This study found that normal bitches' uteri were infected with various bacteria in estrus, diestrus and anestrus stages of the estrous cycle, and could coincide with a fungi infection.
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Endoscopic sampling of microflora in the canine uterus during estrous