Infection of the Bovine Female Genital Tract with Chlamydia psittaci as a Possible Cause of Infertility

Abstract

Contents:Chlamydia psittaci was isolated in embryonated chicken eggs via the yolk sac route from ten (16,7%) vaginal andlor endometrial mucosal scrapings of 60 slaughter cows. Simultaneous fecal shedding of chlamydiae was found in four animals. Chlamydia1 ir$ections of the genital tract were frequent (p < 0.01) when there were endometrial injlammatory lesions together with the failure to detect other bacterial pathogens in the uterus. Inhalt: Die Chlamydia psittaci-Infektion des Genitaltraktes beim weiblichen Rind als mogliche Ursache von UnfruchtbarkeitDurch Anzuchtung im bebriiteten Huhnerei konnte Chlamydia psittaci bei 10 (16,7%) von 60 Schlachtkiihen aus der Vagina undloder dem Uterus isoliert werden. Bei vier der chlamydieninfzierten Tiere gelang der Erregernachweis auch im Kot. Chlamydieninfektionen des Genitaltraktes fanden sich haufiger zusammen mit einer Endometritis in Fallen, in denen andere bakterielle Erreger von Entziindungen des Genitaltraktes nicht nachweisbar waren (p < 0,Ol).

Endometritis in cattle experimentally induced by Chlamydia psittaci

“…Thus, venereal transmission or transmission due to artificial insemination of chlamydia-infected semen might be an important mode for the agent to invade the uterus (12,20,21). In a recent report we described the finding of uterine chlamydial infections and the simultaneous isolation of the agent from feces of slaughter cows with endometritis (27). It must therefore be considered that the intestine is a possible reservoir of infections and means of hematogenous invasion of genital tissues by chlamydiae.…”

“…C. psittuci has been identified as a possible etiologic factor of bovine endometritis and infertility on the basis of isolation from vaginal discharge of cows with fertility problems as well as from uteri of slaughter cows with endometritis (2,5,6,8,9,15,27). However, the only definitive test to assess the ability of C. psittuci to induce endometritis is to inoculate the agent into the genital tract of female cattle.…”

“…For animal inoculations the C. psittaci-isolate BovEnd 11/88 isolated from the uterus of a slaughter cow was used (27). Partially purified suspensions of chicken egg propagated chlamydiae and control suspensions from yolk sac membranes of uninfected 14-day-old chicken embryos were prepared by differential centrifugation and stored in 0,2 M sucrose phosphate buffer at -196 "C until used (25).…”

“…II/4 and II/5) were killed on PID 183 (26th postexposure week). Tissues of various organs were collected at slaughter and processed for histopathologic examination as previously described (27). Samples from endometrial mucosa were also fixed in 2,s % glutaraldehyde in 1.0 M cacodylate buffer and prepared by conventional methods for scanning electron microscopy (critical point drying, gold sputtering).…”

“…Chlamydia (C.)psittaci is incriminated as a cause of bovine endometritis with resultant infertility on the basis of isolation of the agent from vaginal discharge and by the finding that uterine inflammatory lesions in slaughter cows accompany genital chlamydial infections with statistical significance in cases where other obvious bacterial pathogens were not detected (2,5,6,8,9,15,27). Additionally, in an attempt to reproduce uterine inflammation and infertility in female cattle, transmission studies with cultures of C. psittaci or with chlamydia-containing semen have successfully been carried out (4, 1 I, 13).…”