02264-A: Role of E. Coli Biofilm in Canine Pyometra

Abstract

Pyometra is a potentially life-threatening infection of the canine uterus by bacteria, most commonly Escherichia coli (E. coli). In humans with recurrent infections, E. coli produces biofilm, a layer of polysaccharide that protects the organism from the host immune system as well as antibiotic agents, decreasing treatment efficacy. Current treatments for pyometra are costly, time-consuming, and not without risk to the bitch. We postulate that biofilm production by E.coli within the endometrium of the bitch may be responsible for perpetuating the disease and making treatment difficult. However, biofilm production by E. coli involved in canine pyometra has not been studied. In this pilot study, the potential of E. coli obtained from clinical cases of canine pyometra to produce biofilm will be evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Endometrial samples from clinical cases of pyometra procured from multiple collaborating private practitioners throughout the country will be evaluated for the presence of biofilm in situ, as well as the ability of the isolated bacteria to produce biofilm in vitro. If successful, demonstration of the presence of biofilm in the endometrium of bitches affected by pyometra could lead to development of new therapeutics targeted at the disruption of biofilm, and resulting in improved treatment for canine pyometra.

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