Fusobacterium necrophorum genome sequencing

Fusobacterium species are commonly associated with uterine diseases in dairy cows, particularly metritis, a postpartum uterine infection characterized by microbial dysbiosis, fever, and malodorous uterine discharge. Metritis may progress to endometritis and infertility later in the postpartum period. The disease is linked to disturbances in the uterine microbiome, notably the overgrowth of Gram-negative anaerobes such as Fusobacterium necrophorum, Bacteroides pyogenes, and Porphyromonas levii. Although these opportunistic pathogens often co-occur, the mechanisms that facilitate their concurrent proliferation and contribution to disease pathogenesis remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the interactions among these uterine pathogens in terms of growth dynamics, survival, and virulence potential.