Development of a Multiplex PCR for Diagnosis of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus from Cows with Endometritis

Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus are the major agents of cow endometritis in dairy cows. A multiplex PCR (SEB-mPCR) was established based on the conserved genes of S. aureus, E. coli and B. cereus, and the detection limits were 10(3), 10(2) and 10(3) CFU mL(-1), respectively. SEB-mPCR could not amplify genomic DNA of pathogenic bacteria of other common bovine diseases. A total of 309 vaginal discharge samples from cows with endometritis were tested by SEB-mPCR. Of the samples, 23.95% had the three kinds of bacteria detected, 17.15% had S. aureu and E. coli, 9.39% had E. coli and B. cereus, and 9.71% had S. aureus and B. cereus. The rates of infections with S. aureus, E. coli and B. cereus were 11.35, 16.18 and 9.06%, respectively. Therefore, SEB-mPCR has a potential as a diagnosis tool for endometritis in dairy cows.