Authors : Simten Yesilmen , Nihat Ozyurtlu , Ibrahim Kucukaslan and Feray Altan
Abstract: The aim of this study, was to investigate the effect of progestagen on the changes of the vaginal bacterial flora with sponge treatment. Progestagen impregnated sponges (30 mg fluorogestone acetate) were inserted ewes (Group I, n = 12) for 12 days and, sponge without progestagen (blank sponge), served as control groups (Group II, n = 12), were inserted ewes for 12 days during the non-breeding season. Vaginal bacterial counts were evaluated on the vaginal flora samples obtained before the introduction of the sponges, at sponge withdrawal and after 48 h from withdrawal of sponge. The mean value for the colony forming units (x103 mL 1) were 6.1 and 4.5 on the day of intravaginal sponge insertion and increased to 113.5 and 139.8 at sponge withdrawal (p<0.05), decreased 7.9 and 43.3 after 48 h withdrawal of sponge in Group I and II, respectively (p<0.05). The changes of the vaginal bacterial flora were not different statistically at the time of sponge withdrawal in progestagen and non-progestagen sponge groups. Although, there were not differences between at the time of sponge introduction and withdrawal of sponge in 2 groups, it was found a difference after 48 h removal of sponges with progestagen and without progestagen treatments groups (p<0.05). Amoxicillin/Clavunate, Ampicillin, Oxacillin, Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole 1/19 and Tetracycline were more resistance than the other antibiotics according to results of the antibiotic susceptibility test. Intravaginal sponge treatments increased bacterial counts, but this increase returned normal values at probable estrous time in progestagen impregnated sponge treatment. Number of vaginal bacteria did not return normal values in the non-progestagen sponge treatment group after 48 h removal of sponge, because of ewes in this group naturally could not come into estrus. In this study, it was concluded that progesterone did not affect the number of bacterial counts in the vaginal flora except for changes caused by intravaginal sponge treatment.
Simten Yesilmen , Nihat Ozyurtlu , Ibrahim Kucukaslan and Feray Altan , 2008. The Effect of Progestagen on the Changes of the Vaginal Flora Arising from Intravaginal Sponge Treatment and Susceptibility of the Vaginal Flora to Antibiotics in Ewes. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 7: 1418-1421.