Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences

Volume: 55 Issue: 2

  • Open Access
  • Research Article

Isolation and morphological identification of fungi from endometrial samples of postpartum dairy cows

P. Neelima1, K. Sumod2, K. Promod1*, Leeba Chacko1 and K. Magnus Paul3

1. Department of Animal Reproduction, Gynaecology and Obstetrics College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Wayanad -673576

2. Department of Veterinary Microbiology, CVAS, Pookode

3. Department of Animal Reproduction, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, CVAS, Mannuthy

Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University Kerala, India

*Corresponding author: [email protected], Ph. 9447213277

Year: 2024, Page: 354-359, Doi: https://doi.org/10.51966/jvas.2024.55.2.354-359

Received: Oct. 26, 2023 Accepted: Jan. 25, 2024 Published: June 30, 2024

Abstract

Numerous studies on endometritis of postpartum dairy cows describe the bacterial aetiology of the condition. However, studies on fungal agents causing inflammatory conditions of the reproductive tract are limited. The objective of the present study was to identify the mycotic isolates from the reproductive tract of postpartum dairy cows and analyse their susceptibility to antifungal agents. In this study, 70 endometrial cytobrush samples were collected from dairy cows 40 - 120 days postpartum (dpp) and cultured in Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA). The isolated fungal cultures were identified by Lactophenol Cotton Blue staining and were subjected to antifungal susceptibility testing. The frequency of isolation of fungi from endometrial samples was 15.71 per cent (11/70). Aspergillus niger was isolated from four (33.33%) samples, followed by Penicillium spp. (25%), Aspergillus fumigatus (16.67%), Mucor spp. (16.67%) and Absidia spp. (8.33%). Antifungal susceptibility testing revealed that 50 per cent of the isolates were susceptible to fluconazole, whereas only 25 per cent of the isolates were completely resistant to amphotericin-B. The prevalence of fungal infection in reproductive tract was higher in cows with an age of ≥ 5 years and a parity of ≥ 2, though this was not significant. A significantly higher number of cattle with history of intrauterine antibiotic therapy were positive for fungal culture. However, the association between prevalence of fungi and reproductive complications was statistically non-significant.

Keywords: Postpartum dairy cows, fungal infections, Aspergillus niger, mycotic infections

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Cite this article

Neelima, P., Sumod, K., Promod, K., Chacko, L. and Paul, M.K. 2024. Isolation and morphological identification of fungi from endometrial samples of postpartum dairy cows. J. Vet. Anim. Sci. 55(2):354-359

DOI: https://doi.org/10.51966/jvas.2024.55.2.354-359

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