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VETERINARSKI ARHIV = 69 (1), 1-5,=20 1999

ISSN 1331-8055 = Online
ISSN=20 0372-5480 Printed in Croatia





Fungi associated = with=20 abortions
and infertility in does and ewes

Subhash = Verma1, Ramesh=20 C. Katoch1*, Satish K. Jand2,
and Parag=20 Nigam3

1Department of=20 Veterinary Microbiology & Immunology, College of
Veterinary & = Animal=20 Sciences, HPKV, Palampur, India

2College of=20 Veterinary Sciences, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India =

3Captain, C/O 5=20 APO, Mobile Veterinary Unit, Powari, Reckong Peo, H.P., India=20





* Contact = address:
Prof. Dr. Ramesh=20 C. Katoch,
Department of Veterinary Microbiology & Immunology, = College=20 of Veterinary & Animal Science, HPKV, Palampur-176 062, H.P. India, =
E-mail: Root@hpkv.hp.nic.in =

VERMA, S., R. C. KATOCH, = S. K. JAND, P.=20 NIGAM: Fungi associated with abortions and infertility in does and ewes. = Vet.=20 arhiv 69, 1-5, 1999.

ABSTRACT =

Investigations into the = association of=20 mycotic agents in the causation of reproductive disorders in 115 does = and 163=20 ewes were conducted. Only one aborted ewe yielded Aspergillus = fumigatus=20 whereas from endometritis the overall fungal isolation was 7.5% in does = and 7.5%=20 in ewes. The predominance of Aspergillus spp. was to the extent = of 57%.=20 In does, fungal agent association was 11%, while in ewes it was 7% = irrespective=20 of type of disorder. In endometritic ewes the isolation of = Aureobasidium=20 pullulans, Altenaria spp. and Syncephalastrum spp. is=20 noteworthy. Trichoderma spp. and Rhizoctonia spp. were = also=20 encountered in this study and which are rarely reported.

Key words: does, = ewes, abortion,=20 endometritis, cervicitis, vaginitis, mycotic agents, India


Introduction =

In Himachal Pradesh, = sheep and goats=20 move to arctic mountains in early summer and by end of rainy season they = start=20 returning to the valleys. Throughout the winter they move in valley = areas and=20 receive little in the way of a concentrate ration from the shepherds. = During=20 migration they acquire several infections due to journey stress, = inclement=20 weather, poor health status, etc. Inflammation of the genitalia, = especially=20 endometritis with mucopurulent discharge in fungal infections, may be=20 responsible for causing infertility, and mycotoxins in the genital tract = are=20 spermicidal to spermatozoa, as documented by SAXENA and ISHAQUE (1977). = Natural=20 fungal poisons in mouldy grain strongly influence variations in = fertility and=20 mortality rates; mycotoxins which influence fertility might reduce = conceptions=20 and increase abortions, as well as possibly damaging the immune system=20 (MATOSSIAN, 1996). Only a few references have been cited from the = available=20 literature regarding fungal borne infertility. This study was envisaged = to act=20 as a probe to discover fungal presence in the genitalia of does and = ewes.=20

Materials and methods=20

Samples were collected = from 115 does=20 and 163 ewes, including samples from aborted foetuses (15 does and 28 = ewes),=20 endometritis (93 does and 133 ewes) and cervicitis and/or vaginitis (7 = does and=20 2 ewes). Vaginal, cervical swabs and endometrial discharges were = directly plated=20 onto Sabouraund's dextrose agar (SDA) and Candida agar (CA); the spot=20 inoculation method was followed to culture fungi. Plates were incubated = at 25 =B0C=20 for a minimum period of 14 days. In the event of no fungal growth, the = plates=20 were further incubated for another 7 days and were then re-examined. The = inoculated plates were examined daily for fungal growth, texture and = diffusable=20 pigment. A detailed study of the fungus was made in lactophenol cotton = blue=20 mounts (RAPER and FENNEL, 1965).

Results =

Mycotic agents in = different types of=20 reproductive disorders, viz., abortion, endometritis, cervicitis and/or=20 vaginitis could be confirmed in 13% of cases. Among 15 does and 28 ewes = the=20 association of fungus could only be made in one ewe that yielded A.=20 fumigatus, while 93 and 133 samples processed from cases of = endometritis=20 yielded fungi in 7 (7.5%) does and 9 (6.8%) ewes, respectively. Out of 7 = and 2=20 samples cultured cases of cervicitis an/or vaginitis from does and ewes, = 5=20 (71.4%) and 1 (50%) samples respectively were found positive for = mycobiotic=20 agents. The identification of different isolates of fungi is shown in = Table 1.=20

Table 1. Mycotic = findings in the=20 female genitalia of does and ewes

Type reproductive = disorder=20

Animal tested (N) =

Positive for = mycotic agents=20

Isolated fungi=20

Does =

Ewes =

Does =

Ewes =

Does =

Ewes =

Abortion =

15 =

28 =

- =

1 =

- =

Aspergillus = fumigatus (1)=20

Endometritis =

93 =

133 =

7 =

9 =

Aspergillus = niger (4)
A.=20 terreus (1)
Penicillium spp. (2)

Aspergillus = fumigatus=20 (2)
A. flavus (1)
A. niger=20 (2)
Syncephalastrum spp. (1)
Cladosporium = spp.=20 (1)
Aureobasidium pullulans (1)
Alternaria = spp. (1)=20

Cervicitis or = vaginitis=20

7 =

2 =

5 =

1 =

A. niger = (2)
Aureobasidium=20 pullulans (1)
Trichoderma spp. (1)
Rhizoctonia spp. (1)=20

Rhizoctonia = spp. (1)=20

Total =

115 =

163 =

12 =

11 =

(12) =

(11)=20


Discussion =

Many of the fungi = involved in causing=20 mycoses are termed "opportunistic", i.e., they establish as pathogens = only when=20 a subject is by change exposed to an exceptionally high concentration of = their=20 spores or "immunocompromised" due to prolonged and indiscriminate = treatment with=20 antibiotics, immunosuppressants, etc. Few, if any fungi pathogenic to = man and=20 animals are dependent on a host for survival. Fungi are able to grow=20 saprobiologically since their nutritional requirements are less = exacting. These=20 fungi are ubiquitous in nature and are usually saprophytic, although=20 occasionally they produce serious disease symptoms and abortion = (AINSWORTH and=20 AUSTWICK, 1973). The fungus Aspergillus fumigatus was isolated in = a pure=20 culture from a case of abortion in a ewe. This fungus has been = established as a=20 cause of abortion by several researchers, namely, SIDDIQUE et al. = (1976), CUCI=20 (1987), and VANDYOUSEFI and ZOGHI (1988). The scanning of available = literature=20 for mycotic abortion among ewes reflects its isolation for the first = time in=20 India. PATHAK and MITTAL (1966) and PAL et al. (1985) reported isolation = of=20 A. fumigatus from cases of metritis and abortion in cows, = respectively.=20 Its isolation from a cow abortion had been reported. This study also = identified=20 two isolates of A. fumigatus that emanated from endometric ewes. = Hence,=20 the presence of A. fumigatus in ewes is noteworthy, since it is a = proven=20 abortifacient and must not be overlooked. A. niger has been = recovered=20 from cases of endometritis in does and ewes. This opportunistic pathogen = was=20 also reported to be the cause of abortion in a buffalo (PAL, 1988). This = study=20 recorded that A. niger was the common fungus, revealing a = percentage=20 isolation to the extent of 34.8, followed by A. fumigatus (13%). = PATNAIK=20 et al. (1992) also reported A. niger to be the most common fungal = agent=20 associated with genital disorders in bovines. PAL et al. (1990) reported = isolation of A. terreus from two cows with endometritis, whereas = this=20 investigation recorded its presence from a doe, thus indirectly = supporting the=20 observation of the above named workers. This study also reports = isolation of=20 Syncephalastrum from an endometric ewe, while PATGIRI and UPPAL = (1983)=20 recorded its presence from a reproductive disorder in a buffalo. Other = fungi=20 that had not been recorded earlier from endometritis were = Aureobasidium=20 pullulans and Alternaria. The high isolation rate of fungi = from=20 cervictitis and/or vaginitis to the figure of 71.42% in does and 50% in = ewes is=20 not surprising, since these organs of the genitalia are frequently = exposed to=20 the environment during oestrus and parturition. The isolation of=20 Rhizoctonia spp. from cervicitis and/or vaginitis both in does = and ewes=20 is interesting. The isolation of Cladosporium from endometritis = in a ewe=20 has also been recorded. Earlier, PATGIRI and UPPAL (1983) recorded its = presence=20 in reproductive disorders in cows. This study came across one isolate of = Alternaria from a ewe with endometritis. This has already been = associated=20 with endometritis in cows (PATGIRI and UPPAL, 1983). The = Alternaria=20 spores are easily recognisable and are particularly important as = allergens.=20 Alternaria spores regularly occur in the air, as do = Cladosporium=20 spores, which includes the ubiquitous saprobic modules. The = Rhizoctonia=20 spp. that was also isolated in pure culture from a ewe suffering from=20 cervicitis/vaginitis was earlier found to yield a toxic metabolite = slaframine,=20 that induced excessive salivation in animals fed infested red clover=20 (Trifolium pratense) hay (O'DELL et al., 1959; SMALLEY et al., = 1962).=20

In the present study the = isolation of=20 A. pullulans and Trichoderma spp. from = cervicitis/vaginitis in=20 does appears to have not been previously documented. It is suggested = that the=20 further studies are warranted to investigate the true aetiological role = of such=20 opportunistic fungal pathogens in causing infertility.

Acknowledgements
Thanks are due to=20 the Dean, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, HPKV, for providing = necessary facilities, and to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research = for the=20 Junior Research fellowship to the first author.


References =

AINSWORTH, G. C., P. K. = C. AUSTWICK=20 (1973): Fungal disease of Animals. 2nd Edn. Commonwealth = Agricultural=20 Bureau. Slough, England.

CUCI, A. (1987): = Serological immune=20 response to Aspergillus fumigatus mycosis.=20 Buletini-i-Shkencave-Zooteknike-e Veterinare 5, 77-83.

MATOSSIAN, M. (1996): = Effect of natural=20 fungal toxins on fertility and mortality in connectient, 1660-1900. J.=20 Nutritional Environ. Med. 6, 285-300.

O'DELL, B. L., W. O. = REGAN, T. J. BEACH=20 (1959): A study of the toxic principle in red clover. Miss. Univ. Agric. = Stn.=20 Res. Bull. 702.

PAL, M., A. HASEGAWA, N. = MATSUSAKA=20 (1990): Aspergillus terreus associated with endometritis in = cattle.=20 Revista Ibeoamericana De Micologia 7, 111-112.

PAL, M. (1988): = Aspergillus=20 niger associated with mycotic abortion in a buffalo (Bubalus=20 bubalis). Mycoses 31, 17-19.

PAL, M., B. S. MATHROTRA, = S. M. DAHIYA=20 (1985): Studies on mycotic abortion caused by Aspergillus = fumigatus=20 Fresenius. Ind. J. Anim. Rep. 6, 43-48.

PATGIRI, G. P., P. K. = UPPAL (1983):=20 Mycoflora of bovine female genital tract affected with various = reproductive=20 disorders. Indian J. Comp. Microbiol. Immunol. Infect. Dis. 4, 19-22.=20

PATHAK, R. C., K. R. = MITTAL (1966):=20 Isolation of A. fumigatus from the cervical mucus of cow having = history=20 of metritis. Current Sci. 35, 312.

PATNAIK, N., B. N. = MOHANTY, S. K. H.=20 RAY, D. N. MOHANTY, P. R. MISHRA (1992): Clinical report on lugol's = iodine=20 treatment of mycotic abortions in bovine. Indian Vet. J. 69, 1029-1031.=20

RAPER, K. B., D. I. = FENNELL (1965): The=20 genus Aspergillus. Baltimore, Williams and Wilkins.

SAXENA, S. C., S. M. = ISHAQUE (1977):=20 Therapeutic evaluation of antimycotic drugs in repeat breeding bovines = due to=20 mycotic infection. Current Science 46, 780-782.

SIDDIQUE, I. H., G. H. = GRANT, J. G.=20 BLACKWELI, B. E. MCKENZIE (1976): Organisms associated with abortions = and=20 reproductive problems in cattle. Modern Veterinary Practice 57, 809-811. =

SMALLEY, E. B., R. E. = NICHOLS, M. H.=20 CRUMP, A. A. HEMING (1962): Physiological disturbance in animals = resulting from=20 the digestion of Rhizocitonia lequminicola. Phytopathology 52, = 753.=20

VANDYOUSEFI, D., E. ZOGHI = (1988):=20 Mycotic abortions in Iran. Archives-de-Institut-Razi 38, 65-71. =

Received: 12 December = 1997
Accepted:=20 15 January 1999


VERMA, S., R. C. KATOCH, = S. K. JAND, P.=20 NIGAM: Gljivice povezane s pobacajem i jalovoscu u koza i ovaca. Vet. = arhiv 69,=20 1-5, 1999.

SAZETAK =

Istrazivana je povezanost = gljivicnih=20 uzrocnika s poremecajima u razmnozavanju 115 koza i 163 ovce. U = pobacenom=20 materijalu jedne ovce utvrdena je gljivica Aspergillus fumigatus, = dok su=20 iz upalnog iscjetka od endometritisa gljivice pronadene u 7,5% koza i = 7,0%=20 ovaca. Aspergillus spp. je dominirala sa 57%. Gljivice su bile = uzrokom=20 poremecaja u razmnozavanju u 11% koza i 7% ovaca. U ovaca s = endometritisom=20 nadene su gljivice Auerobasidium pullulans, Altenaria spp. = i=20 Syncephalastrum spp. U ovim istrazivanjima utvrdeni su i inace = rijetki=20 nalazi Trichoderma spp. i Rhizoctonia spp.

Kljucne rijeci: = koze, ovce,=20 pobacaj, upala maternicne sluznice, upala maternicnog grljka, upala = rodnice,=20 gljivice, Indija

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