Effect of Chitosan Microparticles on the Uterine Microbiome of Dairy Cows with Metritis
Klibs N. Galvão, E. B. de Oliveira, Federico Cunha, R. Daetz, Kristi L. Jones, Zhengxin Ma, Kwangcheol Casey Jeong, R.C. Bicalho, Catherine H. Higgins, Marjory Xavier Rodrigues, Candelaria Gonzalez Moreno, Soo Jin Jeon
Abstract
Third-generation cephalosporins, such as ceftiofur, are commonly used to treat metritis in dairy cows. Chitosan microparticles has been shown to have a broad spectrum of activity in vitro and to be effective against uterine pathogens in vivo ; therefore, they have been hailed as a possible alternative to traditional antibiotics. Nonetheless, in the present study, we saw that chitosan microparticle treatment slowed the progression of the uterine microbiome of cows with metritis toward a healthy state, whereas ceftiofur treatment hastened the progression toward a healthy state. Given the lack of an effective alternative to traditional antibiotics and an increased concern about antimicrobial resistance, a greater effort should be devoted to the prevention of metritis in dairy cows.