Ghoneim I M, Al-Ahmad J A, Fayez M M, El-Sabagh I M, Humam N A A, Al-Eknah M M
Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, Alahsa, 31982, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
Trop Anim Health Prod. 2021 Jan 19;53(1):132. doi: 10.1007/s11250-020-02538-6.
Vaginal and cervical adhesions are severe long-standing reproductive disorder in dromedaries and consequently result in a high culling rate. This study was designed to compare the microbial communities of the vaginae, cervices, and uteri of normal (n = 10) camels versus camels suffering from cervico-vaginal adhesion (n = 23). Vaginal, cervical, and uterine swab samples were collected from control and affected animals. Furthermore, serum samples were obtained for serological testing of Chlamydiosis and Coxiellosis. For bacteriological and fungal examination, swab samples were plated on Columbia and Saboraud's dextrose agar, respectively. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was applied to samples expressed seropositive for Chlamydiosis. Vaginal swab bacterial cultures showed that the affected animals were significantly infected with Staphylococcus aureus (P = 0.0322, CI: 0.25-0.95) than the control, while mycological cultures showed that both control and affected animals were infected with Cryptococcus and Candida albicans. Corynebacterium spp. (22.7%), Pseudomonas spp. (4.5%), Klebsiella spp. (9.1%), T. pyogenes (18.2%), and anaerobic bacteria (Fusobacterium necrophorum and Clostridium spp.; 34.78%) were also identified in affected animals. Cervical samples from affected animals were distinguished by the existence of S. aureus (27.8%), Klebsiella spp. (5.6%), Corynebacterium spp. (22.2%), Cryptococcus (16.7%), Proteus spp. (11.1% (, T. pyogenes (11.1%), Pseudomonas spp. (5.6%), and Fusobacterium necrophorum (17.4%). Uterine samples from affected animals were characterized by the presence of S. aureus (22.2%), Streptococcus (22.2%), Corynebacterium spp. (11.1%), E. coli (11.1%), and Pseudomonas spp. (11.1%). Anaerobic bacteria were not isolated from control nor affected animals. Enzyme immunoassays revealed that 50% and 34.8% of the control and affected animals were positive for Coxiella burnetii, respectively, Chlamydia was detected in 43.5% of samples from affected animals, only 60% of which were confirmed positive. These results show that microbial communities linked with cervico-vaginal adhesion in dromedary camels are likely to be polymicrobial. The findings of this study are helpful in designing antimicrobial therapies toward reducing the incidence for cervico-vaginal adhesion.
阴道和宫颈粘连是单峰驼严重的长期生殖系统疾病，因此导致较高的淘汰率。本研究旨在比较正常骆驼（n = 10）与患有宫颈阴道粘连的骆驼（n = 23）的阴道、宫颈和子宫的微生物群落。从对照动物和患病动物采集阴道、宫颈和子宫拭子样本。此外，采集血清样本用于衣原体病和柯克斯体病的血清学检测。为进行细菌学和真菌学检查，拭子样本分别接种于哥伦比亚琼脂和沙氏葡萄糖琼脂上。对衣原体血清学检测呈阳性的样本进行聚合酶链反应（PCR）检测。阴道拭子细菌培养显示，患病动物感染金黄色葡萄球菌的比例显著高于对照组（P = 0.0322，CI：0.25 - 0.95），而真菌培养显示对照动物和患病动物均感染了隐球菌和白色念珠菌。在患病动物中还鉴定出棒状杆菌属（22.7%）、假单胞菌属（4.5%）、克雷伯菌属（9.1%）、化脓隐秘杆菌（18.2%）以及厌氧菌（坏死梭杆菌和梭菌属；34.78%）。患病动物的宫颈样本中存在金黄色葡萄球菌（27.8%）、克雷伯菌属（5.6%）、棒状杆菌属（22.2%）、隐球菌（16.7%）、变形杆菌属（11.1%）、化脓隐秘杆菌（11.1%）、假单胞菌属（5.6%）和坏死梭杆菌（17.4%）。患病动物的子宫样本中存在金黄色葡萄球菌（22.2%）、链球菌（22.2%）、棒状杆菌属（11.1%）、大肠杆菌（11.1%）和假单胞菌属（11.1%）。对照组和患病动物均未分离出厌氧菌。酶免疫测定显示对照组和患病动物中分别有50%和34.8%的动物对贝纳柯克斯体呈阳性，在患病动物的43.5%的样本中检测到衣原体，其中仅60%被确认为阳性。这些结果表明，与单峰驼宫颈阴道粘连相关的微生物群落可能是多种微生物。本研究结果有助于设计抗菌疗法以降低宫颈阴道粘连的发生率。
