Reproductive Pathogens

Question 1

What is a commensal organism and how can they help control pathogens

Answer 1

Commensals do not invade. That is not to say that that a commensal can never be harmful, but other circumstances often need to be present e.g.
There is damage that allows them to persist or penetrate

A pathogen has aggressive tools for invasion

Commensals may help control pathogens as they compete with them for places to live and they may also prime the immune system against pathogens

Question 2

Innate immunity in males- repro

Answer 2

Immunity maintains the balance of commensal bacteria and pathogens

Question 3

Innate immunity in females- repro

Answer 3

Immunity maintains the balance of commensal bacteria, pathogens !and any introduced bacteria, allogenic* sperm, and the immunologically distinct fetus!

*= likely to interact antigenically

Question 4

Inflammation of the preputial lining

Answer 4

posthitis

Question 5

Inflammation of the penis

Answer 5

Balanitis

Question 6

Inflammation of the testis

Answer 6

Orchitis

Question 7

Inflammation of the perineum

Answer 7

Dermatitis/ vulvitis

Question 8

What is endometritis

Answer 8

Inflammation of endometrium (mucosal lining of uterus)

Question 9

What is metritis

Answer 9

inflammation of uterus down to myometrium (middle layer- smooth muscle)
Animals with metritis are often systemically sick

Question 10

What is pyometra

Answer 10

Full-thickness inflammation of uterus to perimetrium- associated with pus in the uterus

Question 11

Inflammation of uterine tube

Answer 11

salphingitis (rare)

Question 12

Inflammation of ovary

Answer 12

oophoritis (rare)

Question 13

What is a reproductive, venereal and non venereal pathogen

Answer 13

A pathogen that affects the reproductive tract

Can be either specific pathogens or in some circumstance can include commensals

Reproductive pathogens can be transmitted:
Via semen or vaginal secretion = Venereal Pathogen
Via other routes (e.g. respiratory tract) = Non Venereal

Question 14

When is uterine contamination (with commensal or pathogen) most common (2)

Answer 14

1. Post-partum in all species as cervix is open
2. Post-mating ONLY in mare, sow, bitch (as cervix has no mucus plug and ejaculation occurs directly into the uterus)
   These species can develop mating-induced endometritis
   These species may also have endometritis without mating if bacteria ascend through the open cervix during oestrus

Question 15

What is common with uterine contamination post-partum

Answer 15

Normally with commensal organisms (associated with damage to the endometrium as the placenta detaches)
As deeper layers of the uterus are exposed the commensal organisms infection can penetrate the myometrium-> metritis

Sometimes the condition improves and only a more superficial contamination persists.

Question 16

What normal happens after uterine contamination at mating/ after oestrus

Answer 16

MARE,SOW,BITCH
Normally commensal bacteria are rapidly cleared by immune response and uterine contractions:
If there is an abnormal uterus or a poor uterine response this may allow commensal bacteria to persist -> Endometritis (also called mating-induced endometritis, or post-coital endometritis)

Pathogenic bacteria may invade without the need for an abnormal uterus or a poor uterine response resulting in Endometritis
If highly pathogenic i.e. deeply invasive they may sometimes cause Metritis (the animal becomes sick)
In most cases, the female does not become pregnant but rarely the infection is controlled and pregnancy may occur but bacterial growth in pregnancy may result in pregnancy loss

Question 17

Common pathogenic bacteria that infects mares after mating

Answer 17

Taylorella- stallions are asymptomatic carriers

Question 18

Common pathogenic bacteria that infects cows after mating

Answer 18

Bovine venereal campylobacteriosis
Most don’t get pregnant but those who do are likely to lose the pregnancy.
Bulls are asymptomatic carriers

Question 19

Impact of herpes virus infection via the repsiratory tract in a female

Answer 19

Many are transmitted by aerosol and replicate in the respiratory tract so there is commonly resp. tract disease
Viruses spread to other organs and may lie dormant (a latent infection)
If the female is pregnant the virus may invade the placenta and cause resorption or abortion
If the female becomes pregnant the ‘stress’ of pregnancy may allow viral recrudescence and the activated virus invades the placenta resulting in pregnancy loss

Question 20

Types of herpes virus that cause infection via. respiratory tract in Equine, Canine, Feline, Bovine

Answer 20

Equine: EHV1 resp tract pathogen & causes resp. disease and placentitis -> abortion
Canine: CaHV1 transmitted by resp tract pathogen & causes resp. disease and placentitis -> abortion
Feline: FeHV1 transmitted by resp tract (Feline Rhinotracheitis), it may cause abortion but this is rare
Bovine: BoHV1 transmitted by resp tract (Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis) but can cause abortion
Vaccines are available for each of these

Question 21

Impact of herpes virus infection via the reproductive tract in a female

Answer 21

Transmitted venereally and cause local vesicular disease and not pregnancy loss

Some may not be solely localised in the reproductive tract and have the potential to spread via the resp. tract or to cause systemic infection

Question 22

Types of herpes virus that cause infection via. respiratory tract in Equine, Canine, Feline, Bovine

Answer 22

Equine: EHV3 reprod tract pathogen that causes vesicular lesions on the penis and vulval (termed ‘coital exanthema’)
Canine: CaHV1 reprod tract pathogen that causes vesicular lesions on the penis and vulval
Bovine: BoHV1 reprod tract pathogen that causes vesicular lesions on the penis and vulval (termed ‘infectious pustulovaginitis’)
Human: Herpes simplex virus causes genital herpes (fetal infection may occur via systemic infection of the dam)

Question 23

Routine prebreeding screening in horses

Answer 23

Stallions: penile swabs etc for bacterial venereal pathogens (Taylorella, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas), EVA (equine viral arteritis) serology (to show negative status and then vaccination)

Mares: clitoral swabs for bacterial venereal pathogens (as above), EVA serology

Standard vaccination regimes for EHV
HBLB Codes of practice for CEM, EVA, EHV, ECE, EIA, Strangles etc

Question 24

Routine pre-breeding screening in dogs

Answer 24

Bitches: none (CaHV1 vaccination in pregnancy)
Dogs:none
Standard vaccination regimes

Question 25

Routine pre-breeding screening in cats

Answer 25

Toms: FeLV and FIV serology
Queens: FeLV and FIV serology
Standard vaccination regimes

Question 26

Routine pre-breeding screening in cows

Answer 26

Bulls: when purchasing non-virgin screen for Campylobacter and rarely Trichomonas (sheath washings for culture)

Cows: none

Brucella surveillance (regular bulk milk testing, investigating abortions, serology on bulls in semen production centres)
Routine serology for diseases that affect reproduction (BVD, IBR, Lepto)

Question 27

Routine pre-breeding screening in sheep

Answer 27

Rams: Border Disease

Ewes: none but empty or aborted ewes screened for Toxoplasma and EAE by serology

Brucella melitensis samples performed by DEFRA on random flocks

Question 28

Routine pre-breeding screening in pigs

Answer 28

Boars: serology for PRRS (done weekly in semen production centres), Aujzeskys, Brucella and Classical Swine Fever

Sows: none

Routine vaccination regimes (Erysipelas, PPV, Leptospira, and PRRS [also Ecoli etc to improve colostral ABs for piglet protection])

Question 29

in what species is there no mucus plug and ejaculation occurs directly into the uterus

Answer 29

mare, sow, bitch

Question 30

What is EAE

Answer 30

Enzoonotic Abortion in Ewes
Chlamydophila abortus

Question 31

What is PRRS

Answer 31

porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome
Betaarterivirus suid 1
wo distinct clinical phases: reproductive failure and postweaning respiratory diseases