Endometritis in the mare: a diagnostic study comparing cultures from swab and biopsy.

Nielsen, JM

Abstract: The objective of this study was to compare results from endometrial culture swabs with results from culturing of endometrial biopsies. The culture results were related to cytological findings (polymorphonuclear; PMN-cells) and histological observations (PMN-cells). Biopsy and swab samples were smeared on the surface of a blood agar petri dish, and examined for growth of bacteria. Cytology samples were obtained from endometrial biopsies, stained and examined under microscopy for the presence of PMN-cells. Endometrial biopsies were examined for the presence of PMN-infiltration of the endometrial luminal epithelium and the stratum compactum. Using the presence of PMNs in a tissue specimen as the "best standard" for diagnosing endometritis, the sensitivity of bacterial growth from an endometrial biopsy was 0.82. The sensitivity for cytology was 0.77, and the sensitivity of bacterial growth from an endometrial surface swab was 0.34. The specificity for biopsy cultures, swab cultures, and cytology to diagnose endometritis were 0.92, 1.0, and 1.0 respectively. The positive predictive value for biopsy cultures, swab cultures, and cytology were 0.97, 1.0, and 1.0 respectively. The negative predictive value for biopsy cultures, swab cultures, and cytology were 0.67, 0.44, and 0.62 respectively. In conclusion, bacteriological culture and cytology from an endometrial biopsy provide the practitioner with the most accurate results regarding both sensitivity and positive predictive value.

Get Full Text

Publication Date: 2005-06-28 PubMed ID: 15978661DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2005.05.034Google Scholar: Lookup

The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.

Facebook X LinkedIn Email

Summary
Cite This
Publication
Affiliations
MeSH
Citations

Comparative Study
Journal Article
Research Support
Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research paper is about a study that aimed to compare the effectiveness of endometrial culture swabs and culture of endometrial biopsies in diagnosing endometritis, a condition affecting the inner lining of the uterus in mares.

Objective and Methodology

The researchers’ goal was to ascertain if swab cultures and biopsy cultures from the endometrium (uterus lining) have different outcomes.
For this, they extracted samples from the endometrium using both smear-swabs and biopsies and cultured these on a blood agar petri dish.
They sought to identify any bacterial growth which could signal the presence of endometritis.
In addition, cytology samples were also taken from the endometrial biopsies.
These samples were stained and observed for polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells, which play a key role in the innate immune response and are known to increase in case of endometritis.
Histological evaluation was undertaken to discern if PMN infiltration was present in the luminal epithelium and the stratum compactum of the endometrium.

Key Findings

When considering the presence of PMNs in a tissue specimen as the ‘gold standard’ for diagnosing endometritis, endometrial biopsy showed the best sensitivity (0.82).
The sensitivity was slightly lower for cytology (0.77) and notably lower for the swab culture (0.34).
However, all three methods exhibited high specificity – the rate of true negatives. The respective values were 0.92 for biopsy culture, 1.0 for swab culture, and 1.0 for cytology.
Positive predictive value (the chance of having the disease when a positive test result occurs) was also high for the three methods: 0.97 for biopsy culture, 1.0 for swab culture, and 1.0 for cytology.
However, the methods differed substantially in their negative predictive values (the chance of being disease-free when a negative result is returned): 0.67 for biopsy cultures, 0.44 for swab cultures, and 0.62 for cytology.

Conclusions

Based on the sensitivity and positive predictive values, bacteriological culture and cytology from an endometrial biopsy provided the most accurate results.
Therefore, biopsies were shown to be a more effective way to diagnose endometritis compared to swab cultures, in both sensitivity and accuracy.

Cite This Article

APA

Nielsen JM. (2005). Endometritis in the mare: a diagnostic study comparing cultures from swab and biopsy. Theriogenology, 64(3), 510-518. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2005.05.034

Publication

Theriogenology

ISSN: 0093-691X

NlmUniqueID: 0421510

Country: United States

Language: English

Volume: 64

Issue: 3

Pages: 510-518

Researcher Affiliations

Nielsen, Jesper Mu00f8ller

Ansager Dyrehospital (Ansager Large Animal Hospital), Gartnerhaven 5, DK-6823 Ansager, Denmark. jazz.miller@get2net.dk

MeSH Terms

Animals
Bacteria / growth & development
Bacteria / isolation & purification
Biopsy
Endometritis / microbiology
Endometritis / pathology
Endometritis / veterinary
Endometrium / microbiology
Female
Horse Diseases / microbiology
Horse Diseases / pathology
Horses
Neutrophils / pathology
Sensitivity and Specificity
Streptococcus / growth & development
Streptococcus / isolation & purification

Citations

This article has been cited 23 times.

Martini G, Bucci R, Parrillo S, Carluccio A, Pisu MC. Treatment of a Recurrent Pyometra by Surgical Uterine Drainage in a Main Coon Cat.. Vet Sci 2023 Jan 15;10(1).
doi: 10.3390/vetsci10010060pubmed: 36669061google scholar: lookup
Song P, Liu C, Sun M, Liu J, Lin P, Wang A, Jin Y. Oxidative Stress Induces Bovine Endometrial Epithelial Cell Damage through Mitochondria-Dependent Pathways.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Sep 16;12(18).
doi: 10.3390/ani12182444pubmed: 36139304google scholar: lookup
Li J, Zhu Y, Mi J, Zhao Y, Holyoak GR, Yi Z, Wu R, Wang Z, Zeng S. Endometrial and vaginal microbiome in donkeys with and without clinical endometritis.. Front Microbiol 2022;13:884574.
doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.884574pubmed: 35979491google scholar: lookup
Morrell JM, Rocha A. A Novel Approach to Minimising Acute Equine Endometritis That May Help to Prevent the Development of the Chronic State.. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:799619.
doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.799619pubmed: 35071389google scholar: lookup
Ibrahim S, Hedia M, Taqi MO, Derbala MK, Mahmoud KGM, Ahmed Y, Sosa AS, Saber YHA, Hasanain MH, Nawito MF, Seidel GE. Extracellular vesicles in low volume uterine lavage and serum: novel and promising biomarker for endometritis in Arabian mares.. BMC Vet Res 2022 Jan 18;18(1):42.
doi: 10.1186/s12917-022-03137-3pubmed: 35042518google scholar: lookup
Niikura T, Tsogtgerel M, Niikura C, Wada H, Kanzawa S, Fujiwara T, Nambo Y. Effect of prostaglandin F2(u03b1) administration on uterine polymorphonuclear neutrophil counts in Japanese heavy draft horses.. J Equine Sci 2021 Dec;32(4):117-124.
doi: 10.1294/jes.32.117pubmed: 35023989google scholar: lookup
Rebordu00e3o MR, Amaral A, Fernandes C, Silva E, Lukasik K, Szu00f3stek-Mioduchowska A, Pinto-Bravo P, Galvu00e3o A, Skarzynski DJ, Ferreira-Dias G. Enzymes Present in Neutrophil Extracellular Traps May Stimulate the Fibrogenic PGF(2u03b1) Pathway in the Mare Endometrium.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Sep 6;11(9).
doi: 10.3390/ani11092615pubmed: 34573581google scholar: lookup
Ibrahim S, Hedia M, Taqi MO, Derbala MK, Mahmoud KGM, Ahmed Y, Ismail S, El-Belely M. Alterations in the Expression Profile of Serum miR-155, miR-223, miR-17, miR-200a, miR-205, as well as Levels of Interleukin 6, and Prostaglandins during Endometritis in Arabian Mares.. Vet Sci 2021 Jun 4;8(6).
doi: 10.3390/vetsci8060098pubmed: 34199703google scholar: lookup
Du00edaz-Bertrana ML, Deleuze S, Pitti Rios L, Yeste M, Morales Fariu00f1a I, Rivera Del Alamo MM. Microbial Prevalence and Antimicrobial Sensitivity in Equine Endometritis in Field Conditions.. Animals (Basel) 2021 May 20;11(5).
doi: 10.3390/ani11051476pubmed: 34065566google scholar: lookup
Weber KS, Wagener K, Blanco M, Bauersachs S, Bollwein H. A comparative analysis of the intrauterine transcriptome in fertile and subfertile mares using cytobrush sampling.. BMC Genomics 2021 May 22;22(1):377.
doi: 10.1186/s12864-021-07701-3pubmed: 34022808google scholar: lookup
Salemi Z, Rezaie A, Goorani Nejad S, Mohammadian B. Histopathological and cytological analyses of endometrium in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) to detect estrus and endometritis.. Vet Res Forum 2020 Fall;11(4):409-414.
doi: 10.30466/vrf.2019.92037.2226pubmed: 33643595google scholar: lookup
Martu00ed A, Serrano A, Pastor J, Rigau T, Petkeviu010diutu00e9 U, Calvo Mu00c0, Arosemena EL, Yuste A, Prandi D, Aguilar A, Rivera Del Alamo MM. Endometrial Status in Queens Evaluated by Histopathology Findings and Two Cytological Techniques: Low-Volume Uterine Lavage and Uterine Swabbing.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jan 5;11(1).
doi: 10.3390/ani11010088pubmed: 33466439google scholar: lookup
Quartuccio M, Cristarella S, Medica P, Fazio E, Mazzullo G, Rifici C, Liotta L, Satuu00e9 K. Endometrial Cytology During the Different Phases of the Estrous Cycle in Jennies: New Evidences.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Jun 19;10(6).
doi: 10.3390/ani10061062pubmed: 32575538google scholar: lookup
Canisso IF, Segabinazzi LGTM, Fedorka CE. Persistent Breeding-Induced Endometritis in Mares - a Multifaceted Challenge: From Clinical Aspects to Immunopathogenesis and Pathobiology.. Int J Mol Sci 2020 Feb 20;21(4).
doi: 10.3390/ijms21041432pubmed: 32093296google scholar: lookup
Roberts-Steel S, Oxley JA, Carroll A, Wills AP. Frequency of Owner-Reported Bacterial Infections in Pet Guinea Pigs.. Animals (Basel) 2019 Sep 4;9(9).
doi: 10.3390/ani9090649pubmed: 31487781google scholar: lookup
Skive B, Rohde M, Molinari G, Braunstein TH, Bojesen AM. Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus Invades and Survives in Epithelial Cells.. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017;7:465.
doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00465pubmed: 29164073google scholar: lookup
Sikora M, Kru00f3l J, Nowak M, Stefaniak T, Aubertsson G, Kozdrowski R. The usefulness of uterine lavage and acute phase protein levels as a diagnostic tool for subclinical endometritis in Icelandic mares.. Acta Vet Scand 2016 Sep 7;58(1):50.
doi: 10.1186/s13028-016-0233-4pubmed: 27604098google scholar: lookup
Siemieniuch MJ, Szu00f3stek AZ, Gajos K, Kozdrowski R, Nowak M, Okuda K. Type of Inflammation Differentially Affects Expression of Interleukin 1u03b2 and 6, Tumor Necrosis Factor-u03b1 and Toll-Like Receptors in Subclinical Endometritis in Mares.. PLoS One 2016;11(5):e0154934.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154934pubmed: 27152525google scholar: lookup
Buczkowska J, Kozdrowski R, Nowak M, Rau015b A, Staroniewicz Z, Siemieniuch MJ. Comparison of the biopsy and cytobrush techniques for diagnosis of subclinical endometritis in mares.. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2014 Apr 4;12:27.
doi: 10.1186/1477-7827-12-27pubmed: 24708825google scholar: lookup
Rasmussen CD, Haugaard MM, Petersen MR, Nielsen JM, Pedersen HG, Bojesen AM. Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus isolates from equine infectious endometritis belong to a distinct genetic group.. Vet Res 2013 Apr 18;44(1):26.
doi: 10.1186/1297-9716-44-26pubmed: 23597033google scholar: lookup
Aitken GJ. Subclinical fungal endometritis in an 8-year-old Hanoverian mare.. Can Vet J 2012 Feb;53(2):196-8.
pubmed: 22851785
Christoffersen M, Woodward E, Bojesen AM, Jacobsen S, Petersen MR, Troedsson MH, Lehn-Jensen H. Inflammatory responses to induced infectious endometritis in mares resistant or susceptible to persistent endometritis.. BMC Vet Res 2012 Mar 29;8:41.
doi: 10.1186/1746-6148-8-41pubmed: 22458733google scholar: lookup
Maischberger E, Irwin J, Carrington S, Duggan V. Equine post-breeding endometritis: A review.. Ir Vet J 2008 Mar 1;61(3):163-8.
doi: 10.1186/2046-0481-61-3-163pubmed: 21851709google scholar: lookup