CONCEPTS METRITIS BOVINE PROBLEM NEGLIGIBLE IN CURRENT LIVESTOC
M.V. M. Sc in Animal Reproduction Luis Eduardo S. Forero *. 2004. * Assistant Scientific Director Provet SA Laboratories
The reproductive performance of cows in the postpartum (PP) plays an important role in the determining the reproductive success of the herd and therefore influences the production and profit of the company in general. This behavior has been measured by reproductive parameters within which the calving interval (IEP) has been considered one of the most important (Peters 1984, Estrada et. Al.1995). IEP optimal for dairy cattle are considered those between 12 and 13 months, during which maximum production is obtained from animals (Lech et al. Al. 1991). Lengthy IEP cause poor milk production in subsequent lactations due to excessive involution of the mammary gland calving. It also implies increased feed costs and maintenance of cows less productive periods. Animals with very long IEP tend to accumulate much body fat which may be a risk factor in postpartum presentation of different disturbances. In addition, IEP very short (<12 months) prevent optimal recovery and repair of the glandular tissue of the udder to start a new lactation that involves significant production losses (Lech et al. Al. 1991). In breeding programs, the flaws in the design failures caused by heat detection, nutritional factors, environmental and infectious, generating economic losses for producers due to IEP too long, increasing the number of days open, keeping and feeding of cows in periods of low productivity, costs extra semen and professional services. Holmann quoted Allrich et. al. (1984) indicates that a dairy farmer can lose between 2 and $ 4 net day, when the IEP is more than 12.5 months. Just as other authors cited by Holmann et. al. (1984) have estimated that growers may lose between 0.5 to $ 2 per cow per day open, represented in maintenance, treatment and additional power. The aim of this review is to identify the role of endometritis, defined as a disease productive within the complex set of factors that affect reproductive and productive efficiency in cattle herds.
Imagen 1. Secreciones uterinas con mocos de color rojo parduzco, normal en el post-parto (Blowey et. al. 1992).
Endometritis is a common pathological condition, mainly in dairy cattle, which significantly hinders the reproductive function of animals causing economic losses of variable magnitude and greatly reduces the herd reproductive efficiency in general. Bartlett et. al. (1986) estimate that the endometritis caused losses of close to $ 106 per lactation due at intervals of prolonged labor, increased culling rate, drugs and discarded milk. Gilbert (1998) reported that animals with confirmed endometritis may have on average 154 days open, open 115 days compared with animals free of infection. At the field level, the incidence of this disorder is estimated at 7.5 to 8.9% when the diagnosis is based on the presence of abnormal vaginal discharge, 18% when diagnosed by rectal palpation and from 13 to 40% based on diagnoses veterinary and microbiological.
Image 2. Lochia, and uterine secretions with mucus and streaks of blood, normal in the postpartum (Blowey et al. Al. 1992).
Inflammation of the endometrium usually begins at birth. Under normal conditions, animals are resistant to uterine infections during estrus due to increased blood flow and increased cellular and humoral defenses, driven by high levels of circulating estrogens (Jimnez 1995). If successful fertilization occurs without the presence of pathogens during gestation, uterine infection process starts once triggered delivery. For these reasons, the metritis is directly associated with hygiene and stress suffered by the animal at the time of birth (Ferguson 1993). There are different elements that have been associated with uterine infection as risk factors. Uterine involution is a dynamic process that occurs around 30 to 50 days postpartum, with further delays in multiparous cows than in first-calf heifers. The normal puerperium is a character undoubtedly septic process during which the uterus is subject to infections by various pathogens penetration, however, the infections tend to be self-limiting and presence and duration depends on factors such as immune status of animals and virulence of the organisms involved, retained fetal membranes, secondary infections, difficult births and presence of metabolic diseases (Markusfeld 1984, Ferguson 1993, Schroeder 1989). The main risk factors associated with metritis have been defined by many authors. Ferguson (1993) summarizes schematically these reports in the following table:
Primary alteration
Table 1. Risk factors associated with bovine metritis Secondary alteration Cetosis Milk Dystocia R.M.F. Metritis Mastitis Ovarian fever Cysts
8.9
Displacemt abomasus 3.4 + -
Milk fever Dystocia R.M.F. Metritis Age Milk Production Body condition
2.8 -
2.0 4.0
1.6 3.0 5.8
8.1 5.7 -
1.7 -
16.4
+ + (1) R.M.F.: Retention of fetal membranes.
Numbers in cells represent the OR (measure of association between variables). If the OR is <1, the factor is protective, if> 1 is a causal factor. Example: Cows milk fever are 8.9 times more likely to develop ketosis than cows have no milk fever. Cells with sign (+) indicate a positive association between variables. The above table shows that animals with abnormal births (dystocia, twinning, excessive manipulation), retained fetal membranes or predisposition to metabolic diseases, which present a high probability of experiencing post-partum metritis and subsequent reproductive performance may be affected in greater or lesser degree. The main problem lies not in endometritis infection as such but in the wrong diagnosis is made of the same, resulting, in most cases shoeing treatment leading to the infection becomes chronic. This situation directly affects the reproductive capacity of sick animals that can become at any given time about half of the population in productive stage, based on the prevalence detected at field level (Gilbert 1998). The pathogens most commonly associated with infectious and inflammatory processes of the uterus are transmitted to the authority either via systemic infections that present with bacteremia or viremia, and local route, associated with poor management practices at the time delivery or inadequate treatment after treatment (Schroeder 1989). The pathogens that can cause acute inflammation and / or chronic uterus can be classified as: Venereal diseases: Campylobacter fetus subspecies verealis, Trichomonas fetus ureaplasma spp, Haemophilus spp, Mycoplasma sp. Specific infections: IBR, BVD, PI-3, Blue Tongue, Abortion enzootic bovine Brucella abortus, Neospora caninum, Leptopspira spp, Escherichia coli., Listeria, Salmonella sp., Chlamydia sp., Bacillus cereus, Aspergillus sp.
Opportunistic organisms: Actynomices pyogenes (acute and chronic metritis) Aerobic gram-negative (septic metritis and acute metritis) (Ferguson 1993).
Figure 3. Clear mucus with white particles, is considered indicative of a mild metritis (Blowey et al. Al. 1992). Despite recognition of these pathogens to cause this condition, the interpretation of microbiological findings in the puerperium must be done carefully. In animals with normal births, 92% are positive bacterial cultures in the first week postpartum (PP), 96% are positive in the second week PP, 77% in the third week, 64% in the quarter, 30% between 5 th and 6 th week and 25% at week 7 (Ferguson 1993., Schroeder, 1989). The definitive diagnosis of uterine inflammation and infection should be based on a strict time obstetrician test animals between 20 and 40 days PP, determining the status of uterine involution and reactivation of ovarian dynamics, direct examination with vaginal speculum to determine the state of the uterine cervix and the presence of fluids that are useful in diagnosing, and can be complementary sampling for bacteriological examination, uterine biopsies, diagnosis of abnormal uterine ultrasound and measurement of hormones (progesterone serum or milk) ( Ferguson 199., Schroeder, 1989, Gilbert 1998., Padilla et al. al. 2000). The animals selected for treatment of endometritis should be those exhibiting delayed uterine involution, thickening and loss of uterine tone of fluid in uterine discharge breakdown and cheesy and / or purulent for longer than at 40 days PP. Treatment success lies in the efficiency and accuracy in the diagnosis of the pathological condition of the uterus. Thorough screening of the affected animal's condition is essential to determine the treatment of choice. Animals with impaired respiratory function of its, malaise, fever, loss of appetite, drastic decline in production of milk should be treated systemically with electrolyte therapy and restoration of fluid balance in the body, in these animals systemic antibiotic therapy is priority to reduce the chance or the effects of sepsis. Initial treatment should include a luteolytic agent (prostaglandin F2 alpha, PG-F2a), if you are facing a pyometra, to cause the opening of the cervix and to eliminate decaying fluid and cellular debris accumulated in the the uterus. After verifying the opening of the cervix, should promote the expulsion of the fluids through the use of oxytocin (SECRELAC Provet Laboratories SA) to maximum dose of 40 to 60 IU subcutaneously to prevent uterine atony over excitation of receptors for the hormone. Has been shown to be luteolysis, triggers a positive feedback effect for the synthesis and secretion of oxytocin by the large luteal cells, a condition which, together with the production of pituitary oxytocin level may trigger the refractory effects hormone receptors and produce at the endometrial uterine atony complicating the clinical picture. It should be borne in mind that the pharmacological action of these drugs may be impaired by the
inflammatory process of the uterus, but the luteolytic action of prostaglandins, oxytocin effect benefit by increased secretion of ovarian estrogen (Jimnez et al. Al. 1995).
Figure 4. White and thick uterine secretions, accompanied by blood and putrid are indicative of clinically relevant endometritis (Blowey et al. al. 1992). The application of anti-inflammatory and antipyretic agents such as COLIVET (Provet Laboratories SA) can be helpful, as long as I evaluated the renal and hepatic function of the sick animal. Antimicrobial action should be reinforced locally, the application of antibiotics directly into the uterus. This application can be in aqueous form, with the disadvantage that the liquid must be removed by siphoning to avoid overloading the inflamed uterus. Today there are products that ensure a wide distribution in the reproductive tract, very effective in media with pus or decomposing material, with low potential for irritating the uterine lining and easy application. The antibiotics of choice for both acute metritis to oxytetracycline chronicles are either systemically or locally due to its broad spectrum of action and its effective bacteriostatic (Bretzlaff 1987, Schroeder 1989, Sheldon et al. Al. 1998, Padilla et al. al. 2000). In a study by Sheldon et. al. (1998) demonstrated the effectiveness of oxytetracycline in the treatment of endometritis, compared with other alternative treatments. The oxytetracycline were effective in 73% of cases treated, higher than that achieved in the treatment with PG-F2a and estradiol benzoate (63 and 67% efficiency, respectively). The average time elapsed between the last treatment and conception was lower when the antibiotic was used compared with use of estradiol benzoate (70.2 days and 86.4 days respectively). No significant differences were found for this variable between oxitretraciclina treatment and treatment with prostaglandin F2-alpha.
Picture 5. Post-mortem photograph of an animal with systemic involvement and toxemia, caused by cotyledons and necrotic process perimetritis caseopurulenta (Blowey et al. al. 1992). The mechanism of action of tetracyclines is based on the inhibition of synthesis of a proteolytic bacteria, by primary union to the 30S ribosomal subunit, which causes interference with the vital activity of the pathogen, mainly during the transition process. The action spectrum of the molecule is quite broad, affecting not only growth of gram-positive and gram-negative, but also some rickettsiae, mycoplasma, chlamydia, and protozoa. Its action is primarily bacteriostatic, which may be beneficial in processes involving bacteria produce toxins (Cortes et al. Al. 1990). Under natural conditions, the tetracycline resistance by microorganisms occurs slowly and gradually and is mediated by the presence of plasmids (Cortes et al. Al. 1990). The distribution of oxytetracycline in the genital tract of cows has been studied by Bretzlaff et. al. (1987), concluding that the intravenous administration of two doses of 11 mg / kg gives rise to an optimal concentration of 5 ug / gm in the uterus, a concentration that is above the minimum inhibitory concentration for different combat pathogens associated with uterine infections (Cortes et al. al. 1990). But sometimes parenteral injections of tetracyclines can be painful and impractical so presentations have been developed that act locally within the reproductive tract (METRIVET, blowing Uterine Egg x 500 mg oxytetracycline, Provet Laboratories SA). These presentations promote the application of the medicine and ensure a swift, effective and deep infections in the reproductive tract of animals. The half-life of oxytetracycline is approximately 9.5 hours, which ensures long-acting further the association of sodium bicarbonate as a blowing agent prevents the absorption of active genital tract level, promoting greater retention of the compound in the application site . For its buffer effect, baking prevents irritating effects occur at the cervix, promoting tissue regeneration, the activity of local defenses of the body and the elimination of free radicals by the mechanisms of immunity at the cervix. (Cortes et al. Al. 1990). Tetracyclines generally do very well in the presence of fluids and decaying material, having greater penetration and activity compared with other antibiotics such as sulfonamides, nitrofurans and penicillins (Padilla et al. Al. 2000). For his presentation for local application, METRIVET (Provet Laboratories SA) to avoid possible toxic effects and complications normally associated with tetracyclines have medicated intramuscularly or intravenously (Cortes et al. Al. 1990).
Today treatments are proposed to increase the local immune response of the uterus such as the use of endotoxins such as lipopolysaccharide of E. Coli hyperimmune serum or plasma, soluble extracts of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, colony stimulating factors of macrophages, all lead to increased immune mechanisms in the uterus. However, its application lacks clear scientific basis and its effectiveness on a large scale remains to be seen (Hussain et al. Al. 1991, Dhaliwal et al. Al. 2001).
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