Abstract:
The aim of the present study was to report the occurrence of members of the Mollicutes class in the reproductive system of dairy cattle in Brazil. Five farms containing dairy cattle were visited in January of 2012. In total, 100 cows of different ages, breeds and stages of lactation were examined in the present study. The cows were part of intensive or semi-intensive management systems and were submitted to mechanical milking or hand milking. The samples were collected after washing the vulvar region with water and soap, and then drying it with paper towels and disinfecting the area with alcohol (70°GL). Vaginal mucous was collected using a sterile alginate cotton swab, which was rubbed on the vagina, as well as the lateral and internal walls. Vulvovaginal mucous samples were cultured in both liquid and solid modified Hayflick´s medium, for mycoplasmas, and UB medium, for ureaplasmas. The PCR assays for Mollicutes and Ureaplasma spp. were performed according to the standard protocols described in the current literature. During isolation, the frequency of Mycoplasma spp. was of 13.0% (13/100) and for Ureaplasma spp. was of 6.0% (6/100). In the PCR assays the frequency of Mollicutes was of 26.0% (26/100) and for Ureaplasma spp. was of 13.0% (13/100) in the dairy cattle studied. This is the first report of these agents in reproductive system of bovine of the Pernambuco state. Further studies are necessary to determine the pathogenic potential and species of these field isolates.
INDEX TERMS:
Reproduction diseases; mycoplasmosis; dairy cows; vaginal mucous; Ureaplasma spp
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