In cattle, elimination of bacterial contamination from the uterine lumen after parturition is often delayed or compromised, and pathogenic bacteria can persist, causing
uterine disease and
infertility. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical and bacteriologic recovery following a single intrauterine administration of formosulphatiazole,
cephapirin or placebo in cows with clinical
endometritis. Cows (n = 80), no less than 28 days postpartum, with clinical
endometritis were enrolled in the study.
Endometritis was diagnosed by a complete reproductive examination, including rectal palpation, ultrasonography, vaginoscopy and uterine swab. All cows were randomly assigned to receive one of three intrauterine treatments (T0): 2500 mg of formosulphatiazole (Group A); 500 mg of
cephapirin (Group B); placebo (4250 mg of
propylene glycol; Group C). Cows were examined at the first estrus
after treatment or no more than 30 days after (T1). Bacteria isolated were E. coli, A. pyogenes, Pasteurella spp. and Streptococcus spp.
After treatment, in Group A and B only 6/30 (20.0%) and 6/24 (25.0%) cows showed a positive bacteriologic culture (P > 0.05), while in Group C the number of positive animals was significantly higher (19/26; 73.1%; P < 0.05). At T0, total clinical scores were similar between the three groups (Group A: 5.84 ± 1.07; Group B: 5.91 ± 1.0; Group C: 5.62 ± 1.17; P > 0.05) and indicative of clinical
endometritis. At T1,
endometritis scores were significantly lower than those reported before uterine infusion (P < 0.05); however, Group A and B score, 0.4 ± 0.9 and 1.0 ± 2.1, respectively, correspond to no and slight
endometritis, while animals in Group C reported a total
endometritis score significantly higher (4.6 ± 3.5; P < 0.05) corresponding to
endometritis. In the present study, a commercial formosulphatiazole preparation was as effective as
cephapirin and more effective than placebo for the treatment of clinical
endometritis.