BACTERIAL-CONTAMINATION OF FETAL FLUIDS AT THE TIME OF CESAREAN-SECTION IN THE COW

Complications after cesarean section delivery in cattle are mainly the result of infections. The bacteria responsible for this infection can be of exogenous or endogenous origin. In this investigation endogenou s contamination was studied. Fetal fluid samples of 23 cows were colle cted from the uterine cavity during cesarean section just after the re moval of the calf, by means of a sterile disposable plastic syringe. T he uterine nora was cultured, quantitated and presumptively identified by using selective and elective agarplates. Nineteen samples were pos itive after culture. Eleven samples contained obligate anaerobic bacte ria. When the amniotic sac was broken before the obstetrical examinati on, the total number of bacteria was significantly higher. Vaginal exp loration by the farmer had no significant influence on the number of b acteria encountered. Cesarean section is considered a clean contaminat ed procedure. One must always take into account that the fetal fluids are contaminated with the endogenous vaginal flora. This leads inevita bly to contamination of the wound and the peritoneal cavity. Properly antimicrobial prophylaxis is certainly indicated. (C) 1997 by Elsevier Science Inc.