Subclinical endometritis in a mare by Curvularia spicifera and Escherichia coli co-infection

Abstract

Subclinical endometritis has a negative impact on the reproductive performance of the mares concerned. The present article describes the diagnosis of subclinical endometritis in a 14-year-old Oldenburg brood mare with a previous reproductive history of difficulty in becoming pregnant. Uterine cotton swabs were taken and sent to the laboratory for microbiological and cytological tests. Curvularia spicifera and Escherichia coli were isolated as causative agents. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first time that Curvularia spicifera has been implicated as a causal agent of subclinical endometritis in a mare. A successful treatment was established by infusing 120 ml of 3 % hydrogen peroxide in lactated Ringer's solution into the uterus to remove the fungi that could adhere to the luminal epithelium, followed the next day by further uterine lavage of lactated Ringer's solution. In addition, 7.5 mg/kg oral enrofloxacin was administrated for seven days.