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Microorganisms
Volume 13
Issue 5
10.3390/microorganisms13051070
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Perineal Urethrostomy Enables Susceptibility of Bull Calves as a Natural Host Model for Bovine Trichomonosis

by
Katy A. Martin
1,
Jenna E. Bayne
2,
Krystal Chinchilla-Vargas
1,
Sara L. Reece
1,
Jeba R. J. Jesudoss Chelladurai
3,
Tyler A. Harm
1,
Jodi D. Smith
4,
Courtney N. Blake
5,
Douglas E. Jones
1 and
Matthew T. Brewer
1,*
1
Department of Veterinary Pathology, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA 50011, USA
2
Department of Clinical Sciences, Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
3
Department of Pathobiology, Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
4
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250, USA
5
Practical Livestock Services, Casey, IA 50048, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Microorganisms 2025, 13(5), 1070; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13051070
Submission received: 11 March 2025 / Revised: 15 April 2025 / Accepted: 22 April 2025 / Published: 3 May 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathobiology, Infection Biology and Control of Protozoan Parasites—the ONE HEALTH Approach)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Tritrichomonas foetus is a sexually transmitted protozoan that causes early embryonic death in cattle. A challenge in trichomonosis research is that in vivo studies of treatments, diagnostic strategies, and vaccines are severely hampered by the logistical challenge and cost of maintaining adult bulls. Since natural infections are diagnosed in postpubescent animals, the paradigm is that only mature breeding bulls can be infected. In this study, we hypothesized that prepubescent bull calves could be artificially infected with T. foetus trophozoites for the purpose of conducting research trials. Initial attempts to directly infect bull calves with two different parasite isolates resulted in the sporadic and transient detection of parasite DNA but not culturable trophozoites. In vitro and in vivo studies suggested that urine directly inhibited trophozoites, likely by osmotic damage and mechanical flushing action. Studies utilizing a perineal urethrostomy to remove urine flow from the prepuce resulted in the ability to colonize the prepuce, with live organisms being cultured for as long as 15 days post-inoculation. Future studies optimizing this technique have the potential to accelerate the pace of bovine trichomonosis research and may have applications in the study of human trichomoniasis.
Keywords: trichomoniasis, trichomonosis, sexually-transmitted disease, animal models of disease, cattle, parasitology trichomoniasis, trichomonosis, sexually-transmitted disease, animal models of disease, cattle, parasitology

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Martin, K.A.; Bayne, J.E.; Chinchilla-Vargas, K.; Reece, S.L.; Chelladurai, J.R.J.J.; Harm, T.A.; Smith, J.D.; Blake, C.N.; Jones, D.E.; Brewer, M.T. Perineal Urethrostomy Enables Susceptibility of Bull Calves as a Natural Host Model for Bovine Trichomonosis. Microorganisms 2025, 13, 1070. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13051070

AMA Style

Martin KA, Bayne JE, Chinchilla-Vargas K, Reece SL, Chelladurai JRJJ, Harm TA, Smith JD, Blake CN, Jones DE, Brewer MT. Perineal Urethrostomy Enables Susceptibility of Bull Calves as a Natural Host Model for Bovine Trichomonosis. Microorganisms. 2025; 13(5):1070. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13051070

Chicago/Turabian Style

Martin, Katy A., Jenna E. Bayne, Krystal Chinchilla-Vargas, Sara L. Reece, Jeba R. J. Jesudoss Chelladurai, Tyler A. Harm, Jodi D. Smith, Courtney N. Blake, Douglas E. Jones, and Matthew T. Brewer. 2025. "Perineal Urethrostomy Enables Susceptibility of Bull Calves as a Natural Host Model for Bovine Trichomonosis" Microorganisms 13, no. 5: 1070. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13051070

APA Style

Martin, K. A., Bayne, J. E., Chinchilla-Vargas, K., Reece, S. L., Chelladurai, J. R. J. J., Harm, T. A., Smith, J. D., Blake, C. N., Jones, D. E., & Brewer, M. T. (2025). Perineal Urethrostomy Enables Susceptibility of Bull Calves as a Natural Host Model for Bovine Trichomonosis. Microorganisms, 13(5), 1070. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13051070

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