Characterization of the cervicovaginal microbiota of female beef cattle harboring Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis using 16S rDNA gene sequencing

• Published in: FEMS microbiology ecology Vol. 99; no. 4
• Main Authors: De Carli, Silvia, Breyer, Gabriela Merker, Lopes, Cassiane Elisabete, Zitelli, Larissa Caló, Contreras, Laura Victoria Quishpe, Valle, Stella de Faria, Siqueira, Franciele M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 23.03.2023
• Subjects: Animals; Bacteria; Beef cattle; Campylobacter; Campylobacter fetus; Campylobacter fetus - genetics; Campylobacter Infections - microbiology; Campylobacter Infections - veterinary; Campylobacteriosis; Cattle; Estrus; Female; Females; Fetuses; Gene sequencing; Microbiota; Microenvironments; Microorganisms; Mucus; Pathogenesis; Reproductive system; rRNA 16S; Ureaplasma; Cervicovaginal microbiota; Beef cows; High-throughput sequencing; Return to estrus; Infertility; Bovine genital campylobacteriosis
• ISSN: 1574-6941; 0168-6496; 1574-6941
• DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiad029

Abstract Bovine genital campylobacteriosis (BGC) is a leading cause of return to estrus in cows. The etiologic agent, Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis (Cfv) is transmitted by venereal route. Hence, the surrounding reproductive tract microenvironment could play a role in return to estrus in cows. The presence of Cfv in cervicovaginal mucus of Angus breed females provide three experimental groups, which were subject to bacteriome analyses: 10 Cfv-positive cows (CVP), 10 Cfv-negative cows (CVN), and 10 nonsexually active heifers (NSA). Cows with return to estrus showed higher bacterial richness than NSA. Beta diversity analysis showed a significant difference (P = 0.006) in bacterial composition among the three groups analyzed (CVP, CVN, and NSA). However, no significant difference was found when comparing the CVP versus CVN groups. Ureaplasma and Pseudomonas were the genera most frequently observed in NSA, being Ureaplasma the predictor genus to that group, whereas Alistipes, Bacteroides, Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, UCG-005, and UCG-10 were both significantly more abundant and predictors genera in cows with return to estrus. Our results provide an overview of the cervicovaginal bacterial microbiota in cows harboring Cfv and improve the knowledge of the pathogenesis of BGC. Presence of Cfv in cow's cervix seems unrelated to changes in the cows' cervicovaginal microbiota and dysbiosis identification in the cervicovaginal microenvironment.