Endometrial biopsy findings in mares with contagious equine metritis.

Endometrial biopsy samples before and after treatment were obtained from 10 mares naturally infected and one Pony mare experimentally infected with Contagious Equine Metritis in 1977. The histopathological features were a short-lived polymorphonuclear cell infiltration of the luminal epithelium and stroma followed by a very early and marked mononuclear cell infiltration of the stroma, including many plasma cells. The luminal epithelium responded with cellular proliferation which may have reflected a regenerative response. Following the initial acute response, intercellular basal vacuoles containing amorphous and granular material and degenerate leucocytes, were seen in association with the basement membrane for several weeks following infection and apparent recovery. Specimens taken from 9 mares after treatment suggested a varied response. Endometrial biopsy was useful in demonstrating an endometrial response to infection in individual mares prior to the isolation of the causal organism. Its usefullness as a screening test was limited by the ability of mares to harbour the organism in the lower genital tract whilst showing little or no evidence of acute endometritis.     

The epidemiology of contagious equine metritis (CEM) in England 1977--1978).

Following an outbreak of CEM in England during 1977 a Code of Practice was introduced to control the disease in 1978. The Code recommended a bacteriological screening programme for Thoroughbred mares and stallions and improved standards of hygiene on the stud farm. As a result of the implementation of the Code a number of asymptomatic carrier mares was detected. Stallions which had transmitted CEM in 2977 and were treated did not transmit the disease during 1978. Two small outbreaks of CEM were reported during the 1978 breeding season.     

Responses of pony mares to the agent of contagious equine metritis 1977.

Reproduction of contagious equine metritis 1977 in Pony mares was achieved with cultures of an unclassified Gram-negative coccobacillus. Infected mares developed a vaginal discharge and associated inflammatory changes of the cervix and vagina. There was evidence of variation in pathogenicity between different strains of the organism. Although all infected mares made spontaneous clinical recoveries, the Gram-negative coccobacillus persisted in the genital tracts of a considerable proportion for a variable period after challenge. Recovery of the organism was not associated solely with the occurrence of oestrus. None of the mares has carried over infection into the following breeding season. There was no evidence of localization of the organism in the urinary tract. Cytological examination of smears of cervical and urethral swabs was of diagnostic value only during the clinical phase of the infection. A serological response was demonstrable in all mares that became infected after exposure to the Gram-negative coccobacillus. The complement-fixation test gave more specific and clear-cut results than either the agglutination or the antiglobulin test, with which there was a problem with non-specific reactions. The experimental findings indicate the value of the complement-fixation test for confirming recent cases of contagious equine metritis in the mare.     

An outbreak of contagious equine metritis in 1977 and its effect the following season.

An outbreak of contagious equine metritis occurred in Newmarket in 1977. This survey records the effect on fertility of 20 of the stallions which were infected. Swabbing of mares since then has detected 37 carrier mares harbouring the organism, most frequently in the clitoral area. This swabbing programme reduced the incidence of new cases in 1978 to 3 mares and 1 stallion.     

Genome sequence of Taylorella equigenitalis MCE9, the causative agent of contagious equine metritis

Taylorella equigenitalis is the causative agent of contagious equine metritis (CEM), a sexually transmitted infection of horses. We herein report the genome sequence of T. equigenitalis strain MCE9, isolated in 2005 from the urethral fossa of a 4-year-old stallion in France.     

Contagious equine metritis in Australia.

Contagious equine metritis (CEM) was first diagnosed in Australia in August 1977 and it has since been found on 6 farms in 3 states, having been isolated from about 24 mares and 2 stallions. Details are given of the epidemiology and control procedures used to combat CEM on one farm. Difficulty was experience in successfully treating one infected stallion; this was thought to be associated with inadequate cleaning and treating of the diverticulum of the urethral fossa. Introduction of the disease has had far-reaching consequences and may well result in the adoption of routine bacteriological tests on stallions and mares of unknown or dubious breeding history and other measures to minimize the possibility of spread between farms.     

Epidemiological observations on lungworm, Dictyocaulus arnfieldi, in donkeys from Morocco

Regular monthly examination of lungs of donkeys, with a total of 423 in a year, revealed that in Morocco Dictyocaulus arnfieldi infection is present throughout the year with an annual incidence of 47.8% (range 30 to 62.2%). The monthly mean number of worms per animal varied from 19.4 to 69.6 (annual average 39.5) with a maximum of 1000 worms in a donkey. October, February and June are the months when peaks of infections were observed. The ratio of worms in lungs to larvae per g in faeces (L.P.G.) ratio varied from 1:0.57 to 1:1.33 (average 1:0.97) and although this relation was significant, cases with high worm burden and no larvae in faeces were observed.     

Contagious equine metritis--outbreak of the disease in Kentucky and laboratory methods for diagnosing the disease.

Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) was initially reported during the 1977 breeding season in England (Crowhurst, 1977) and Ireland (Timoney, Ward & Kelly, 1977. The disease has also been diagnosed in France and Australia (Huges, Bryden & MacDonald, 1978). The first occurrence of CEM in the United States followed the importation or 2 stallions from France late in 1977 which resulted in an outbreak early in the 1978 breeding season (Swerczek, 1978). Mares usually develop clinical signs of CEM 8--10 days after being covered by an infected stallion, when a copious, greyish discharge is seen. Other mares may not show any outward signs of disease, but may have a shortened dioestrous period. Many mares recover spontaneously from the disease, but a small proportion become carriers of the CEM organism. The stallion does not show any clinical signs of disease, but remains a carrier. In this paper we recommend various laboratory procedures for the diagnosis of CEM in mares and stallions.     

Epidemiological observations on iridovirosis of Lymnaea truncatula, host mollusca of Fasciola hepatica]

Epidemiological studies were carried out in 11 populations of Lymnaea truncatula in 1983-1984 and 1987-1989 to determine the prevalence of snail infection by an iridovirus. The virus was found in the different populations and samples, with a frequency ranging from 1.6 to 87%. The virosis would be endemic.     

Thelazia lacrymalis in horses in Kentucky and observations on the face fly (Musca autumnalis) as a probable intermediate host.

Eyes from 114 (30.3%) of 376 dead horses, examined from 3 April 1975 to 3 April 1976, were naturally infected with adult Thelazia lacrymalis; 1 horse was also infected with 1 male Thelazia skrijabini. Adult T. lacrymalis from dead horses were successfully transferred mechanically to the eyes of 3 of 4 Shetland ponies raised helminth-free. Larvae from gravid female T. lacrymalis underwent development in experimentally infected, laboratory-raised face flies (Musca autumnalis) and third-stage larvae ranging from 1.82 to 2.94 mm in total length were recovered at 12 to 15 days postexposure. A total of 866 naturally occurring face flies were collected from the head region of horses. Twelve of the face flies harbored larval stages of Thelazia spp. One of the larvae resembled third-stage T. lacrymalis that were recovered from the experimentally infected, laboratory-raised face flies. Introduction of 3 third-stage larvae from 1 face fly onto the cornea of a pony raised helminth-free resulted in the recovery of 1 male T. skrjabini 242 days later. In addition to the eyeworm larvae, other parasites recovered from the face flies included Heterotylenchus autumnalis, hypopi of astigmatid mites and a first instar beetle (Coleoptera: Rhipiphoridae). Data from these investigations indicate the likelihood that face flies are an intermediate host for T. lacrymalis and probably other species of Thelazia in this part of the country.