What is bActivate?
bActivate is a veterinary bacterial growth medium that reactivates dormant Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus in the equine uterus. Developed by Prof. Anders Miki Bojesen DVM PhD and Dr. Morten Rønn Petersen DVM PhD Dipl. ACT (Bojesen & Petersen Biotech ApS, Copenhagen), it is instilled by a veterinarian into the uterus of problem mares that fail to conceive despite normal cycles and negative routine cultures. Dormant bacteria reactivate within 48 hours, becoming detectable by standard swab culture. Targeted antibiotic treatment then clears the infection. In clinical studies: 83% pregnancy rate (Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, 64 mares, Dr. Kristina Lu); 89% pregnancy rate (Kildangan Stud / Godolphin, 19 mares). Peer-reviewed: Petersen & Bojesen, Theriogenology, 2015. DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2015.04.009.
Facilitate mare pregnancy
Up to 15% of all mares struggle to get in foal. Recent investigations have demonstrated that dormant bacterial infections in the uterus are a major cause. Dormant bacteria are difficult to diagnose by standard techniques and highly tolerant to antibiotic. Efficient handling thus requires re-activation of the bacteria. This can be achieved by instillation of bActivate, a bacterial growth medium, into the uterus.
bActivate has been tested by the therio group at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, the world’s largest equine hospital in Kentucky who basically normalized mare fertility by including bActivate into the standard repro work-up.
The concept behind bActivate (promoting bacterial-activation) was discovered by Morten Rønn Petersen, DVM, PhD and Professor Anders Miki Bojesen, DVM, PhD. They both have extensive experience with bacterial endometritis in mares and have published several scientific papers on the subject.
Background information
Bacterial infections in the uterus can cause reduced fertility in the mare. Bacteria gain access to the uterus through the cervix, due to poor conformation or during breeding or foaling. Healthy young mares clear bacteria rapidly. In mares with compromised uterine defense mechanisms bacteria can establish an infection in the uterus. If the infection is unnoticed or left untreated, the infection may become chronic.
The most commonly isolated bacteria from such conditions are Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (Strep. zoo). In the chronically infected mare Strep. zoo can establish an infection deep within the uterine lining (endometrium). Strep zoo appear to lower its metabolic rate during chronic infection, thus complicating diagnostics and antimicrobial treatment dependent of active bacterial growth.
Product description
bActivate is a growth medium enabling detection of chronic subclinical uterine infections associated with Strep. zoo in mares. If a chronic infection with Strep. zoo is present in the endometrium it will be activated when bActivate is instilled in the uterus. Activated Strep. zoo will thus become available for standard microbial diagnostic procedures.
What our clients say
Real results from veterinarians and breeders who have made bActivate part of their reproductive protocol.
“We incorporated bActivate into our standard reproductive work-up for problem mares at Hagyard. Out of 64 mares that had failed to conceive for at least 3 cycles, 83% became pregnant following bActivate activation and targeted antibiotic treatment. Nearly half had a dormant Streptococcus infection that standard culture had completely missed. It changed the way we approach the problem mare.”
“We used bActivate on 19 of our most persistent problem mares — horses that had been barren for over a year despite every conventional treatment we tried. 89% of them got in foal. What really opened our eyes was how many had a hidden infection that standard swabs had never detected. It is now a routine part of our protocol at Kildangan.”
“We have been using bActivate on several mares — all got pregnant and most of them in first try with frozen semen!”
“bActivate is an excellent tool that allows us as reproductive vets to do our job as effectively as possible. When you compare the cost to the expense of a mare that fails to conceive — or worse, never produces a foal — bActivate is both a smart and cost-effective solution in the long run.”
“I used bActivate and after just one covering got a colt foal — after 3 years of hardship where the mare went in foal but never managed to produce a live foal. I cannot recommend bActivate enough.”