Infectious Agents Identified by Real-Time PCR, Serology and Bacteriology in Blood and Peritoneal Exudate Samples of Cows Affected by Parietal Fibrinous Peritonitis after Caesarean Section.

The aim of this study was to identify the pathogens potentially involved in parietal fibrinous peritonitis (PFP). PFP is a complication of laparotomy in cattle, characterized by an accumulation of exudate inside a fibrinous capsule. We have studied 72 cases of PFP in Belgian blue cows, confirmed by a standard diagnostic protocol. Blood was collected to evaluate the presence of antibodies for , and ) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Peritoneal exudate was obtained from the PFP cavity to perform bacteriological culture, and to identify the DNA of . , . and using real time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Bacteriological culture was positive in most peritoneal samples (59/72); () (51/72) and () (20/72) were the most frequently identified. For , the majority of cows showed positive serology and qPCR (56/72 and 49/72, respectively). Contrariwise, (17/72 and 6/72, respectively) and (15/72 and 6/72, respectively) were less frequently detected ( < 0.0001). Our study proves that PFP can no longer be qualified as a sterile inflammation. Moreover, we herein describe the first identification of and in cows affected by PFP.