INFLUENCE OF ESTROUS-CYCLE STAGE ON ADHESION OF STREPTOCOCCUS-ZOOEPIDEMICUS TO EQUINE ENDOMETRIUM

Equine endometria representative of Kenney's categories I, II and III were incubated in vitro with phosphate buffer Streptococcus pneumoniae , or S zooepidemicus. Endometrial tissues from mares in estrus and die strus were first categorized according to Kenney's classification, the n were tested for adherence of S pneumoniae and S zooepidemicus to the epithelia. bacteria were not observed when the endometrial tissue was incubated with phosphate buffer or S pneumoniae. There was no statist ical difference in attachment of S zooepidemicus to endometrial tissue from mares in estrus or diestrus if endometrial classification was ig nored. However, bacterial attachment was significantly (P less than or equal to 0.05) higher in category III endometrium during estrus.