Comparing vaginal douche, cervicovaginal mucus, and uterine lavage for diagnosis of Tritrichomonas foetus in naive heifers exposed to a naturally infected bull.

Vaginal douche sampling is practical for T. foetus diagnosis; test before day 51 post-exposure.

This study evaluated three diagnostic sampling methods for detecting Tritrichomonas foetus in naive heifers exposed to a naturally infected bull using quantitative PCR. Eleven heifers were exposed for 30 days, with samples collected at three time intervals 21 days apart from three locations: vaginal douche, cervicovaginal mucus, and low-volume uterine lavage. Of 82 total samples, 12 (14.6%) tested positive, with positive results from only 2 heifers. Temporal factors significantly influenced detection rates, while sampling location did not show statistically significant differences, though the small study design limited power to detect such differences. Notably, animals testing positive at initial sampling were negative by day 51, suggesting optimal testing timing. The vaginal douche method proved subjectively easier to perform and yielded positive samples, while avoiding cervical traversal required for other sampling methods. These findings provide practical guidance for T. foetus diagnostic sampling in female cattle, recommending vaginal sampling prior to day 51 post-exposure.

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