Pathological investigation and identification of bacteria from bovine uterus

The present study was carried out to determine the occurrence of bacteria as well as pathological lesions in the uterus of slaughtered cattle. A total of 20 selected samples from 30 randomly collected samples were taken from the uteri with grossly identifiable lesions such as congested, hemorrhagic, cystic and mucus filled uteri. The used methods were cultural technique, staining procedure and different types of biochemical test and histopathology. The bacteriological swab samples were collected from the lumen of the uteri in nutrient broth. The histopathological samples were collected in 10% neutral buffered neutral formalin. The collected tissues were fixed, processed, sectioned, stained and studied with light microscope. The mostly observed gross lesions were hemorrhagic, congested and mucus filled uterus with some abnormalities on the ovary. All the gross lesions were not found in all uteri. The occurrence of bacteria 22.92% Bacillus spp, 12.50% Streptococcus spp, 25.00% Staphylococcus spp, 31.11% Escherichia coli and 10.417% Klebsiella spp. were recorded in 20 uteri of cattle. Microscopically, acute endometritis was characterized by thickening of the epithelial layer, infiltration of neutrophil in the submucosal layer, dilatation of endometrial glands and congestion of blood vessels. In chronic endometritis, infiltration of lymphocytes, macrophages, plasma cells in the sub mucosal layer and proliferation of fibrous connective tissue within the myometrium. In adenomyosis, dilatation of endometrial glands and presence of endometrial gland in the myometrium were recorded. The microscopic lesions were variable in uteri. The occurrence of acute endometritis was 33.33%, chronic endometritis 26.66% and adenomyosis 6.66% respectively. In acute and chronic endometritis, the isolated bacteria were Bacillus spp, Streptococcus spp, Staphylococcus spp, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. while in adenomyosis cases the isolated bacteria were Bacillus spp, Staphylococcus spp and Escherichia coli. To understand the role of these bacteria in the production of pathological lesions further studies are needed