Abstract
Bovine mastitis is a costly disease in dairy cattle worldwide. As of yet, the control of bovine mastitis is mostly based on prevention by thorough hygienic procedures during milking. Additional strategies include vaccination and utilization of antibiotics. Despite these measures, mastitis is not fully under control, thus prompting the need for alternative strategies. The goal of this study was to isolate autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from bovine mammary microbiota that exhibit beneficial properties that could be used for mastitis prevention and/or treatment. Sampling of the teat canal led to the isolation of 165 isolates, among which a selection of ten non-redundant LAB strains belonging to the genera Lactobacillus and Lactococcus were further characterized with regard to several properties: surface properties (hydrophobicity, autoaggregation); inhibition potential of three main mastitis pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Streptococcus uberis; colonization capacities of bovine mammary epithelial cells (bMEC); and immunomodulation properties. Three strains, Lactobacillus brevis 1595 and 1597 and Lactobacillus plantarum 1610, showed high colonization capacities and a medium surface hydrophobicity. These strains are good candidates to compete with pathogens for mammary gland colonization. Moreover, nine strains exhibited anti-inflammatory properties, as illustrated by the lower IL-8 secretion by E. coli-stimulated bMEC in the presence of these LAB. Full genome sequencing of five candidate strains allowed to check for undesirable genetic elements such as antibiotic resistance genes and to identify potential bacterial determinants involved in the beneficial properties. This large screening of beneficial properties while checking for undesirable genetic markers allowed the selection of promising candidate LAB strains from bovine mammary microbiota for the prevention and/or treatment of bovine mastitis.
Highlights
Bovine mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary gland and most often results from bacterial infection
Isolation and identification of lactic acid bacteria within the bovine mammary ecosystem Sampling the teat canals of 20 cows on two farms led to the isolation and identification of 165 isolates
We focused on the 22 isolates belonging to Lactococcus and Lactobacillus genera, which include one Lactococcus lactis, four Lactococcus garvieae, four Lactobacillus brevis, 11 Lactobacillus plantarum and two Lactobacillus casei isolates
Summary
Bovine mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary gland and most often results from bacterial infection. The treatment of bovine mastitis is predominantly based on antibiotics They are not totally effective and contribute to the emergence and transmission of antibiotic resistance within the host microbiota, which include both commensals and opportunistic pathogens. LAB have been investigated for many years for their beneficial effects on human health [3,4]. They contribute to maintaining the balance of natural microbiota (i.e., vaginal and gut), by competing with pathogens for tissue colonization, modulating virulence expression or stimulating the innate immune system [5,6]. Probiotics have been shown to be an effective alternative to antibiotherapy for the treatment of human mastitis [7]
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