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Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM), 7d Culture

      Screening of 3 pathogens responsible for Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM): Taylorella equigenitalis by Culture over 7 days Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Culture  Klebsiela pneumonia, Culture   Sample 2 or 3...

    €90.00

      Sample RequirementsSample Requirements

      General requirement

      • 2 or 3 genital swabs in Amies transport medium with charcoal.

      Clitoral fossa

      • Standard swab with Amies culture and transport system.

      Clitoral sinuses

      • Minitip swab with Amies culture and transport system.
      • Swab all sinuses present.

      Cervical or endometrial swab

      • Guarded 25" swab.
      • Cervical swab: closed cervix (pregnant mare or mid-cycle).
      • Endometrial swab: during oestrus or true anoestrus.

      Send your sample by regular mail or express delivery to:

      Equigerminal Lab HIESE
      Rua da Quinta do Sobreiro Nº25
      3230-343 Penela, Portugal

      Turnaround TimeTurnaround Time

      7  working days

      About the testAbout the test

      Screening of three pathogens responsible for Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM):

      • Taylorella equigenitalis by culture (7 days)
      • Pseudomonas aeruginosa by culture
      • Klebsiella pneumoniae by culture

      What is Contagious Equine Metritis?

      Contagious Equine Metritis is an inflammatory disease of the proximal and distal reproductive tract of the mare caused by Taylorella equigenitalis, usually resulting in temporary infertility.

      It is a non-systemic infection, with effects restricted to the reproductive tract of the mare.

      Clinical signsClinical signs

      When present, general clinical signs include:

      • Endometritis
      • Cervicitis
      • Vaginitis of variable severity
      • Slight to copious mucopurulent vaginal discharge

      In mares

      Active state

      • Vulval discharge ranging from very mild to extremely profuse.

      Carrier state

      • No outward signs of infection.
      • The mare remains capable of transmitting infection because the bacteria are established on the clitoris, clitoral fossa and clitoral sinuses and, in the case of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, sometimes in the urethra and bladder.

      In stallions

      Infected stallions usually do not show clinical signs of infection.

      The bacteria may be present on the:

      • Penis
      • Penile sheath

      These stallions can infect mares during mating, teasing or artificial insemination.

      Occasionally, bacteria may invade the accessory sex glands, contaminating the semen.

      TransmissionTransmission
      • Direct venereal contact during natural mating presents the highest risk for the transmission ofequigenitalisfrom a contaminated stallion or an infected mare.
      • Direct venereal transmission can also take place by artificial insemination using infective raw, chilled and possibly frozen semen.
      • Indirectly, infection may be acquired through fomite transmission, manual contamination, inadequate observance of appropriate biosecurity measures at the time of breeding and at semen- collection centres. Stallions can become asymptomatic carriers ofequigenitalis.
      • The principal sites of colonisation by the bacterium are the urogenital membranes (urethral fossa, urethral sinus, terminal urethra and penile sheath).

      The sites of persistence ofequigenitalisin the majority of carrier mares are the clitoral sinuses and fossa and infrequently the uterus.

      • Foals born of carrier mares may also become carriers.
      • The organism can infect equid species other than horses, e.g. donkeys.
      PreventionPrevention
      • If infection withequigenitalisis suspected in any mare, stallion or teaser on the basis of clinical signs, all breeding activities must cease immediately.
      • The affected horse(s) should be isolated and swabbed by the attending veterinary surgeon.
      • Arrange swabbing of any at risk horse.
      • Disinfect all equipment used for breeding procedures.
      • Inform all owners of mares booked to the stallion, including any which have already left the premises;
      • Inform people to whom semen from the stallion has been sent;
      • Arrange for one straw from every ejaculate of stored semen from infected and at risk stallions to be tested by a laboratory. If a straw from any ejaculate is infected, all straws from that ejaculate should be destroyed;
      • Any at risk pregnant mare must be foaled in isolation. The placenta must be incinerated. Foals born to these mares should be swabbed three times, at intervals of not less than seven days, before three months of age.
      • Any mares with an abnormal vaginal exudate, or returning to oestrus prematurely, should be investigated and managed as though infected withequigenitalisuntil results of laboratory testing prove otherwise.
      • If carriers ofequigenitalisare detected, the organism can be eliminated by treatment with systemic and/or local antibiotics combined with antiseptic washing of the sites of persistence in the mare and the stallion.
      Additional informationAdditional information

      Important

      Schedule all CEM culture submissions in advance with the laboratory.

      Multiple culture submissions are often required and timing is critical.

      Official CEM testing generally involves multiple sets of samples collected over multiple days.

      Sampling schedules should be confirmed with the appropriate regulatory authorities before testing.

      Horses cannot be tested while receiving antibiotic treatment or during the recommended withdrawal period after treatment.

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