Bacteriological studies on the uteri of slaughtered buffaloes

A total of 100 uteri were studied at random from the slaughterhouse of Hyderabad city. Eight different bacterial species were recognized and the number and percentage of each species was also observed. Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were the most predominant species and their incidence was 23.07 and 17.94%, respectively. The other species were: Staphylococcus epidermidis and Corynebacterium pyogenes showed same percentage incidence i.e. 14.10%, Micrococcus citrus (11.53%), Proteus mirabilis (8.97%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (6.41%) and Listeria monocytogenes (3.84%). The species identified were cocci, rod shaped, gram-positive and gram-negative. Four of them were non-motile and the remaining four were motile due to the presence of flagella on their cell-wall. The colony characteristics on the solid media were circular, smooth, and convex and sometimes fried-egg like appearance of colonies was also observed. The appearance of colonies in the broth media ranged between turbidity, pellicle formation and sometimes formation of sediments in the bottom of the tube. A few of them produced beta type of haemolytica colonies on blood agar. A total of 100 uteri examined, seventy-eight was contaminated with various bacterial species. Of these 8 (10.26%) uteri were found containing pus. Out of eight pyometric uteri, two were carrying pure infection caused by Staphylococcus aureais and six were carrying mixed infections with Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Micrococcus citrus and Corynebacterium pyogenes. Out of 78 infected uteri 60(76.92%) exhibited pure infection while 18(23.07%) carrying mixed bacterial infections. However, mixed infections with 3-4 bacterial species were recorded in individual uteri. Whereas, 6 (7.69%) uteri were detected with a maximum of 4 different bacterial species. Biochemical tests were also performed on these isolates to confirm their biochemical activities. The tests were TSI, oxidase, catalase, coagulase, Simmon's citrate, methyl-red, Voges Proskauer, indole, hydrogen sulphide production, gelatin liquefaction and urea hydrolysis. Eight different sugars were also used for further confirmation of the isolates and fermentation activities such as acid and gas productions of individual species were observed. Eight different antibiotics were applied and sensitivity was observed. The antibiotics were gentamycin, kanamycin, neomycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, sulphamethoxazole, ampicillin and polymyxin B and were observed highly effective in most of the cases. All of the isolates were found highly sensitive (100%) to gentamycin. On the other hand, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis were highly sensitive (100%) to kanamycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline and sulphamethoxazole. While, Escherichia coli was highly sensitive (100%) to gentamycin and chloramphenicol. While the organisms highly sensitive (100%) to chloramphenicol and tetracycline were; Corynebacterium pyogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Listeria monocytogenes. Whereas, the cells of Micrococcus citrus were highly sensitive (100%) to gentamycin only. While, the species Proteus mirabilis were highly sensitive (100%) to kanamycin, chloramphenicol and sulphamethoxazole. It is concluded that majority of the contaminants of the female uterus is bacterial organisms and the pure bacterial infections of the bovine uterus are more common than the mixed bacterial infections. It is further concluded that Staphylococcus aureus is the most common bacterial species associated with uterine infections of female buffaloes. Finally, it is also observed that all bacterial organisms isolated from the female uteri can be effectively treated by antibiotics; particularly tetracycline, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, ampicillin and gentamycin.