Evaluation of the effectiveness of intrauterine treatment with formosulphathiazole of clinical endometritis in postpartum dairy cows

• Published in: Theriogenology Vol. 78; no. 1; pp. 189 - 200
• Main Authors: Mari, G, Iacono, E, Toni, F, Predieri, P.G, Merlo, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-07-2012
• Subjects: Administration, Intravaginal; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - administration & dosage; bacteria; bacterial contamination; Cattle; Cattle Diseases - drug therapy; cephapirin; Cephapirin - administration & dosage; colposcopy; Dairy cows; Dairying; Endometritis; Endometritis - drug therapy; Endometritis - veterinary; Escherichia coli; estrus; Female; formosulphathiazole; intrauterine administration; parturition; Pasteurella; Placebos; Postpartum; Postpartum Period - drug effects; propylene glycol; Puerperal Disorders - drug therapy; Puerperal Disorders - veterinary; Streptococcus; Sulfathiazoles - administration & dosage; Treatment Outcome; ultrasonography; Uterus - drug effects; Dairy cows; formosulphathiazole; Endometritis; Postpartum
• ISSN: 0093-691X; 1879-3231
• DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2012.01.036

In cattle, elimination of bacterial contamination from the uterine lumen after parturition is often delayed or compromised, and pathogenic bacteria can persist, causing uterine disease and infertility. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical and bacteriologic recovery following a single intrauterine administration of formosulphatiazole, cephapirin or placebo in cows with clinical endometritis. Cows (n = 80), no less than 28 days postpartum, with clinical endometritis were enrolled in the study. Endometritis was diagnosed by a complete reproductive examination, including rectal palpation, ultrasonography, vaginoscopy and uterine swab. All cows were randomly assigned to receive one of three intrauterine treatments (T0): 2500 mg of formosulphatiazole (Group A); 500 mg of cephapirin (Group B); placebo (4250 mg of propylene glycol; Group C). Cows were examined at the first estrus after treatment or no more than 30 days after (T1). Bacteria isolated were E. coli, A. pyogenes, Pasteurella spp. and Streptococcus spp. After treatment, in Group A and B only 6/30 (20.0%) and 6/24 (25.0%) cows showed a positive bacteriologic culture (P > 0.05), while in Group C the number of positive animals was significantly higher (19/26; 73.1%; P < 0.05). At T0, total clinical scores were similar between the three groups (Group A: 5.84 ± 1.07; Group B: 5.91 ± 1.0; Group C: 5.62 ± 1.17; P > 0.05) and indicative of clinical endometritis. At T1, endometritis scores were significantly lower than those reported before uterine infusion (P < 0.05); however, Group A and B score, 0.4 ± 0.9 and 1.0 ± 2.1, respectively, correspond to no and slight endometritis, while animals in Group C reported a total endometritis score significantly higher (4.6 ± 3.5; P < 0.05) corresponding to endometritis. In the present study, a commercial formosulphatiazole preparation was as effective as cephapirin and more effective than placebo for the treatment of clinical endometritis.