Fungal infection of reproduction system of dairy cattle have not been received much more attention. The aim of this study was to determine the fungal infection of Holstein dairy cows with reproductive disorders or healthy. Fungal isolates of cervicovaginal fluids of 176 Holstein dairy cows were collected by using the double rod swabs for cervix and the sterilized cotton swabs for discharges of vagina. They were evaluated for fungal infections. The treatment group included 70 dairy cows with reproductive diseases, such as abortion, repeat breeder, endometritis, metritis, retention of fetal membrane, dystocia, cervicitis, and vaginitis. The control groups were included 42 healthy non-pregnant cows and 64 pregnant cows. Isolates of fungi were obtained from cervix and vagina of 27.1% and 28.6% of treatment group, 26.7% and 31.2% of pregnant cows, and 33.3% and 21.4% of healthy non-pregnant cows, respectively, indicating no significant differences. It is showed that the cervix and vagina of the treatment group have been infected by six different mycotic isolates. However, the cervix and vagina of pregnant and non-pregnant healthy cows in control group were infected with 5, 6 and 5, 4 different fungal agents, respectively. Penicillium and yeast were the most common isolated agents. Regarding to the result of this study, it is concluded that fungal infections can occur in cervicovaginal cavity of Holstein dairy cows with or without reproductive diseases.
The aim of this study was to investigate the persistent infection (PI) of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) along with its coexistence between BVDV antibody titer and BVD virus in blood of Holstein dairy cows. Only large commercial farms (each contained < 1000-3000 unvaccinated cows) were included. There were 11 dairy cattle herds. They included nearly 20,000 dairy cows. Totally, 140 cows, > 3 months to almost 10 years old, were randomly sampled. Indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to detect BVDV antibody and virus, respectively. The percent positivity (PP) < 14 and ≥ 14 values are interpreted negative and positive, respectively. Simultaneously, whole blood samples pooled in groups of 10 animals were used for molecular detection of BVDV. The results revealed that 138 (98.56%) out of 140 cows were positive for BVDV antibody, while the BVDV antigen was detected only in 2 (1.42%) cows, which were negative for BVDV antibody and so were considered as persistent infection (PI) cows. They were also retested 3 weeks apart. Since the results showed the strong coexistence between seropositivity and BVD virus, in the infected dairy cattle herds, the combination of simple ELISA and pooled whole blood RT-PCR strategy could be an achievable approach to detect PI animals.
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