Retrospective study on equine uterine fungal isolates and antifungal susceptibility patterns (1999-2011).
Abstract: Knowledge of commonly encountered fungi infecting the mare's reproductive tract and their respective drug susceptibilities should improve treatment efficacy in mares with fungal endometritis. This is particularly important when practitioners need to start empiric treatment before culture results are complete. Objective: To report the spectrum of fungal isolates from uterine samples from mares with reproductive problems and their respective antifungal susceptibilities. Methods: Equine uterine samples submitted to the Cornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Centre for fungal culture between July 1999 and June 2011 were reviewed. Each mare's reproductive history, fungal culture results, antifungal susceptibilities and concurrent aerobic culture results were evaluated. Patterns of antifungal susceptibility and resistance were assessed over time. Results: One hundred and two fungal isolates were cultured from 92 uterine samples from mares with reproductive problems. Yeast (69%) and mould with septated hyphae (26%) were the most common isolates. Ninety-five to 100% of all fungal isolates were susceptible to the polyenes, while response to the azoles varied with 47-81% of fungal isolates displaying susceptibility. Yeast isolates were 100% susceptible to the polyenes and least susceptible to miconazole (48%) while isolates of mould with septated hyphae were most susceptible to natamycin (100%) and least susceptible to fluconazole (0%). From July 1999 to June 2005 and July 2005 to June 2011, yeast demonstrated increasing resistance to miconazole, while mould with septated hyphae demonstrated increasing resistance to ketoconazole. Conclusions: Results from this study suggest that polyenes are effective against uterine fungal isolates in vitro and may be the empiric treatment of choice for fungal endometritis. Isolate resistance to specific azoles increased over time.
Publication Date: 2013-03-02 PubMed ID: 23447884DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2012.00608.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article concerns a retrospective study evaluating the types of fungal infections affecting the reproductive tract of mares and the effectiveness of different antifungal treatments. The study analyzed equine uterine samples from 1999 to 2011, noting the types of fungal infections present and their susceptibilities to various drugs.
Research Objective
The goal of the research was to identify the variety of fungal isolates infecting the uterine samples of mares with reproductive issues, and assess their respective antifungal susceptibilities. Understanding this would allow for effective treatment of fungal endometritis in mares, particularly when culture results are incomplete and practitioners must commence empiric treatment.
Methodology
- The study reviewed equine uterine samples that were submitted to the Cornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Centre for fungal culture between July 1999 and June 2011.
- Each mare’s reproductive history, fungal culture results, and antifungal susceptibilities were analyzed.
- The study also evaluated any concurrent aerobic culture results.
- Patterns of susceptibility and resistance to different antifungal drugs were assessed over this time period.
Results
- The research identified one hundred and two fungal isolates cultured from 92 uterine samples from mares with reproductive problems.
- The most frequently found isolates were yeast (69%) and mould with septated hyphae (26%).
- Between 95-100% of all isolates were susceptible to polyenes, while susceptibility to azoles varied, with 47-81% of isolates showing susceptibility.
- Different fungi demonstrated differing drug susceptibilities: yeast isolates were least susceptible to miconazole (48%) but 100% susceptible to the polyenes. Conversely, mould with septated hyphae isolates were least susceptible to fluconazole (0%), but most susceptible to natamycin (100%).
- The study also found increasing resistance to certain drugs throughout the review period. From July 1999 to June 2011, yeast development increased resistance to miconazole, while the mould with septated hyphae showed increasing resistance to ketoconazole.
Conclusions
- The results suggest polyenes effectively treat uterine fungal isolates in vitro and may be the empiric treatment of choice for fungal endometritis.
- However, the study also found increasing resistance to certain azoles over time, which may affect treatment decisions in the future.
Cite This Article
APA
Beltaire KA, Cheong SH, Coutinho da Silva MA.
(2013).
Retrospective study on equine uterine fungal isolates and antifungal susceptibility patterns (1999-2011).
Equine Vet J Suppl(43), 84-87.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2012.00608.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, New York, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antifungal Agents / pharmacology
- Drug Resistance, Fungal
- Endometritis / microbiology
- Endometritis / veterinary
- Female
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horses
- Mycoses / microbiology
- Mycoses / veterinary
- Retrospective Studies
Citations
This article has been cited 6 times.- 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.
- 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).
- Saini P, Singh M, Kumar P. Fungal endometritis in bovines. Open Vet J 2019 Apr;9(1):94-98.
- Seyedmousavi S, Bosco SMG, de Hoog S, Ebel F, Elad D, Gomes RR, Jacobsen ID, Jensen HE, Martel A, Mignon B, Pasmans F, Piecková E, Rodrigues AM, Singh K, Vicente VA, Wibbelt G, Wiederhold NP, Guillot J. Fungal infections in animals: a patchwork of different situations. Med Mycol 2018 Apr 1;56(suppl_1):165-187.
- Del Prete C, Attolini E, Merlo B, Iacono E, Nocera FP, De Martino L, Longobardi C, Damiano S, Longobardi V, Cocchia N, Pasolini MP. Post-Insemination Infusion of Wharton's Jelly Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells-Derived Conditioned Medium: A Novel Approach for Improving Pregnancy Outcomes in Problem Mares. Vet Sci 2025 May 16;12(5).
- Calderón-Hernández A, Castro-Bonilla N, Cob-Delgado M. Chromogenic, Biochemical and Proteomic Identification of Yeast and Yeast-like Microorganisms Isolated from Clinical Samples from Animals of Costa Rica. J Fungi (Basel) 2024 Mar 16;10(3).
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