INFLUENCE OF THE ESTROUS-CYCLE ON EXPERIMENTAL INTRAUTERINE ESCHERICHIA-COLI INFECTION IN THE SOW

The influence of the oestrous cycle on the onset of endometritis in th e sow was studied. Ten pubertal, unmated gilts of the Belgian Negative Landrace were used. Nine gilts were inoculated into the uterus by lap arotomy with a suspension of an E. coli strain isolated from the uteru s of a discharging sow from a herd having many problems with vaginal d ischarge and a lowered fertility. One gilt was as a control inoculated with 2 ml of a PBS-solution. All sows inoculated during dioestrus dev eloped clinical symptoms, but only 1 of the 5 gilts inoculated at stan ding oestrus developed a vaginal discharge. These data confirm the hyp othesis that the stage of the oestrous cycle has an important influenc e on the onset of endometritis. The resistance to E. coli infections w as higher when the gilts were inoculated during oestrus.