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Background: Endometritis is a common condition in mares that causes significant economic loss. Lacking obvious clinical signs, the clinical diagnosis of endometritis in mares relies on case-by-case clinical examinations, which can be particularly inefficient in large-scale farms. Therefore, the identification of potential biomarkers can serve as a non-invasive and efficient screening technique for endometritis in mares., Objectives: To compare the blood proteome between fertile mares and mares with endometritis to identify biomarkers potentially associated with the development of endometritis and validate their predictive potential., Study Design: Observational and experimental study., Methods: Differentially expressed proteins were identified via Data Independent Acquisition (DIA) proteomic profiling in a screening cohort composed of eight healthy mares and eight mares with endometritis. Subsequently, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed that included a validation cohort of 40 healthy mares and 40 mares with endometritis to verify the accuracy and sensitivity of the identified proteins, thereby establishing a diagnostic threshold., Results: In the screening cohort, 12 proteins were significantly differentially expressed between endometritis mares and healthy controls (p < 0.05, outside the 1/1.2 to 1.2-fold). In the validation experiment, all six screened proteins were assessed with area under the curve (AUC) >0.8., Main Limitations: The samples displayed certain levels of individual heterogeneity, and the number of samples analysed was limited. Additionally, the identified biomarkers were primarily associated with generalised inflammation, which potentially limited their specificity for endometritis., Conclusion: Levels of plasma proteins are sensitive indicators of equine endometritis and potential tools for endometritis screening. In plasma, fetuin B, von Willebrand factor, vitamin K-dependent protein C, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3, interleukin 1 receptor accessory protein, and type II cell cytoskeleton showed great predictive ability, with fetuin B being the best predictor (AUC = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.89-0.98), which performs better when combined with all six detected proteins (AUC = 1, 95% CI: 0.99-1.00)., (© 2024 EVJ Ltd.)

The aim of the study was to evaluate phagocytic and killing activity of phagocytic cells in blood and uterine flush of cows with endometritis before and after intrauterine (i.u.) administration of cephapirin and methisoprinol. The research was carried out on 28 cows with clinical endometritis. Animals were divided into four groups, each composed of seven cows, depending on the i.u. treatment used: Group A-cephapirin; Group B-methisoprinol; Group C-cephapirin and methisoprinol at the same time; and a control group-without medication. Using flow cytometry technique, the phagocytic activity of granulocytes and monocytes was identified, as well as the oxidative burst activity of neutrophils in the peripheral blood and uterine washings. Summarizing the results of the research, i.u. infusion of cephapirin caused a reduction in the phagocytic and killing activity of phagocytes. The i.u. use of methisoprinol increased phagocytic and killing activity of phagocytes in the uterus. Administering both listed substances simultaneously showed a decrease in phagocytosis, presumably due to the dominating inhibitor effect of the antibiotic. However, also an increase of mean fluorescence intensity was observed, presumably caused by the methisoprinol. Intrauterine use of immunostimulatory substances, can improve the effectiveness of the treatment of endometritis in cows., (© 2018 Japanese Society of Animal Science.)

Cytological endometritis (CYTO) is a uterine inflammation characterised by the percentage of polymorphonuclear neutrophils in endometrial cytology. This observational study evaluated the association of blood plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and insulin concentrations at -2 weeks prepartum, +1 week and +3 weeks postpartum with the development of CYTO in 119 multiparous Holstein cows. Overall CYTO prevalence was 30.3 per cent. Multivariable logistic regression model revealed the odds of developing CYTO were 3.54 times (P=0.018) greater in cows with week -2 prepartum IGF-1 concentrations less than 74.6 ng/ml and 4.41 times (P=0.004) higher in cows with week +1 postpartum IGF-1 concentrations less than 13.2 ng/ml than the odds of this health outcome in cows with IGF-1 concentrations at least 74.6 and13.2 ng/ml, respectively. Additionally, cows with body condition score (BCS) up to 2.75 at week -2 prepartum and cows experiencing calving-related disorders and/or ill health had higher risk for CYTO compared with cows with BCS=3.50-3.75 (OR=6.8, P=0.049) and cows without health complications (OR=3.1, P=0.030). Insulin was not a significant predictor for CYTO in the model. Our findings provide further evidence that reduced dairy cow fertility associated with low plasma concentrations of IGF-1 is in part mediated through the inflammatory status of the uterus., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© British Veterinary Association (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)

This study examined the relationship between postpartum metritis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentration in peripartum dairy cows. Blood was collected twice weekly from 2 weeks prepartum through 6 weeks postpartum. Whole blood chemiluminescence (WBCL) was measured using the luminol-enhanced zymosan-stimulated chemiluminescence assay. Cows were examined for uterine health disorders and classified into two groups, healthy (n = 11) and metritis (n = 5). Metritis had a significant effect on WBCL, with cows with metritis having a higher WBCL. Plasma LPS concentrations in cows with metritis were significantly higher than in healthy cows. To examine the effect of LPS on WBCL, blood was sampled in healthy peripartum cows (1 to 2 weeks prepartum, n = 8; 0 to 3 weeks postpartum, n = 11; and 4 to 8 weeks postpartum, n = 8) and incubated with LPS. At 1 endotoxin units/mL of LPS, similar to the plasma LPS concentration in cows with metritis, the WBCL increased in cows at 0 to 3 weeks postpartum. Results indicate that the increase in ROS generation and plasma LPS concentration are associated with metritis, and LPS may be responsible for enhanced ROS generation in early postpartum dairy cows., (© 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science.)

To determine the effects of puerperal metritis on the immune response, changes in the differential peripheral blood leukocyte counts were analyzed during the peripartum period in cows with or without metritis. Multiparous Holstein cows were examined for uterine health disorders and classified into two groups: healthy (n = 11) or metritis (n = 5) cows. The lymphocyte and monocyte counts and the proportion of CD8(+) lymphocytes were higher in cows with metritis compared to healthy cows. Moreover, the effects of puerperal metritis on the lymphocyte counts and CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio persisted weeks after the uterine inflammation had self-resolved. Taken together, the findings of the present study indicate the possible long-term alterations of systemic immune responses in cows with puerperal uterine inflammation., (© 2015 Japanese Society of Animal Science.)

Background: Our purpose was to determine whether blood loss during cesarean section and postoperative endometritis rate were associated with the method of placental removal and site of uterine repair., Methods: This prospective randomized study involved 840 women who underwent cesarean section. The patients were grouped into four: (1) manual placental delivery + exteriorized uterine repair; (2) spontaneous placental delivery + exteriorized uterine repair; (3) manual placental delivery + in situ uterine repair; (4) spontaneous placental delivery + in situ uterine repair. Patients were excluded if they had received intrapartum antibiotics, had chorioamnionitis, required an emergency cesarean hysterectomy, had rupture of membranes for more than 12 hr, had bleeding diathesis, and had abnormal placentation or prior postpartum hemorrhage. The main outcome measures were postoperative hemoglobin and hematocrit values, and postcesarean endometritis., Results: There were no statistically significant differences in mean maternal age, parity, gestational age, presence and duration of membrane rupture and number of vaginal examinations between the four groups. The decrease in postoperative hemoglobin (P < 0.05) and hematocrit (P < 0.001) was significantly greater in the manual removal groups (groups 1 and 3) than in the spontaneous expulsion groups (groups 2 and 4) at 48 hr postoperatively. The incidence of postoperative endometritis was significantly higher in manual removal groups (15.2%) (groups 1 and 3) than in spontaneous groups (5.7%) (groups 2 and 4) (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: Manual removal of the placenta at cesarean delivery results in more operative blood loss and a higher incidence of postcesarean endometritis.

In order to assess the usefulness of haptoglobin as a measure of the acute phase response in cattle, the concentration of serum haptoglobin was estimated in the non-infectious conditions of milk fever and ketosis, and in the infectious conditions of severe mastitis, acute severe metritis, retained placenta and chronic endometritis. Mean haptoglobin concentrations were normal in cattle with non-infectious conditions and chronic endometritis but significantly increased in cattle with infectious conditions.

The changes in total unconjugated oestrogen and progesterone concentrations in the peripheral blood of one bitch throughout a false pregnancy were measured. The levels of these hormones detected in 11 bitches when examined during a false pregnancy, and in 13 other bitches with pyometa are also reported. Oestrogen and progesterone concentrations were within normal limits in both of these conditions where single samples were obtained, but the bitch with false pregnancy studied in detail showed a raised oestrogen level during metoestrus. The significance of these results is discussed in relation to previous studies on the aetiology of false pregnancy and pyometra.