To kick-start the educational sessions at the 2014 American Association of Equine Practitioners’ (AAEP) Convention, held Dec. 6-10 in Salt Lake City, Utah, three veterinarians presented their favorite surgery, medicine, and reproduction studies from the past year. On the breeding side, researcher and Texas A&M University theriogenology professor Terry Blanchard, DVM, Dipl. ACT, described 12 equine reproduction-related papers sure to impact the industry.

Treating Biofilm Formation in Mares with Uterine Infections

Researchers from Colorado State University evaluated the effects of three different treatments on bacterial biofilm (the extracellular matrix that bacteria produce to resist antimicrobials’ effects) production in vitro. In their study they exposed three bacterial isolates (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) cultured from clinical cases to three antibiofilm substances (acetylcysteine , gallium nitrate, and TRIS-EDTA solution). Their goal was to see if any of these substances could reduce the amount of biofilm produced. While no single treatment consistently prevented biofilm formation in all isolates, they found that all treatments were effective against E. coli but not against K. pneumoniae. These "may reduce biofilm protection of bacteria in chronic uterine infections," Blanchard summarized.

• Ferris RA, Wittstock SM, McCue PM, Borlee BR. Evaluation of biofilms in gram-negative bacteria isolated from the equine uterus.  J Equine Vet Sci. 2014;34(1):121.  

N-Acetylcysteine’s Effect on