184 Correlating Microbial Community Membership of Cervical Fluid, Vagina and Feces in Post-Partum Sows

Abstract

Abstract Postpartum metritis, or the inflammation of the uterus after parturition, is often a direct result of bacterial infection and considered to contribute to agalactia / dysgalactia in multiple species. Diagnosing metritis has included evaluation of vaginal and cervical fluid (CF) discharge for signs of infection (i.e., purulent discharge, strong odor, and discoloration). Metritis in sows results in economic losses for the swine industry due to increased numbers of sows requiring repeat inseminations to establish pregnancy, longer weaning to estrus intervals, association with increased abortions, and is also linked to agalactia. This study aimed to compare the microbial communities of the CF, the vaginal cavity, and feces from sows shortly after parturition, to identify similarities and differences in relative microorganism abundance between these body sites. Fecal and vaginal swabs were collected from 82 sows within 24-36 hours post-parturition. Additionally, CF was collected from each sow and classified based on color and consistency. Extraction of DNA was performed from all 246 samples and used for 16S rRNA gene Illumina MiSeq sequencing. Sequence analysis was conducted using MOTHUR (V1.43.0). No changes in CF microbial community composition or structure were determined related to CF color but differences (P < 0.05) were detected relative to CF consistency. Taxa were compared across body sites to identify correlated phylotypes using CoNet (V1.1.1). The abundances of several phylotypes harboring metritis-relevant pathogens were correlated with common commensal microorganisms across body sites (including Fusobacterium, Streptococcus, Escherichia, and Staphylococcus) suggesting interactions between these body sites exist. This work provides initial insights into postpartum sow CF microbial communities, and the interconnectedness with the vaginal and fecal microbiota. This project was supported by Zoetis (TI-07021).