Milk Hygiene in Rural Southwestern Uganda: Prevalence of Mastitis and Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles of Bacterial Contaminants of Milk and Milk Products.

Paul Ssajjakambwe,Christopher Setumba,Collins Atuheire,Patrick Vudriko,Stevens M B Kisaka,John David Kabasa,John B Kaneene,Gloria Bahizi

doi:10.1155/2017/8710758

Abstract

Mastitis and antimicrobial resistance are a big challenge to the dairy industry in sub-Saharan Africa. A study was conducted in Kashongi and Keshunga subcounties of Kiruhura District (in Uganda) where the government and private sector have deliberate programs to improve production efficiency, quality, and safety of milk and its products. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of mastitis, its common causative agents, antimicrobial sensitivity of mastitis causing organisms, and contaminants of processed milk products: yoghurt and ghee. Seventy-one milk, fourteen yoghurt, and three ghee samples were collected from nine farms. Of the 71 cows tested, 54 (76.1%) had mastitis. The mastitis cases from Keshunga were 32 (59.3%) and Kashongi contributed 22 (40.7%) of the cases. The common mastitis causative agents were Staphylococcus spp. (30.8%), Streptococcus spp. (12.3%), Corynebacterium spp.(15.4%), and E. coli (7.7%). Some of the isolates were resistant to tetracycline and penicillin. Prevalent contaminants of yoghurt were Staphylococcus spp. (8.3%), Streptococcus spp. (8.3%), Corynebacterium spp. (8.3%), and E. coli (8.3%), whereas all ghee contained Streptococcus spp. (100%). Prevalence of mastitis, antimicrobial resistance, and contamination of milk products are high in the study area. Targeted programs to prevent and control mastitis as well as antibiotic resistance are recommended.

Highlights

Over the years, the global meat and milk production has increased in response to an expanding demand [1]
The most prevalent organisms associated with mastitis were Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., Corynebacterium, and E. coli, among others
When the immune system of the host is compromised, the originally normal skin flora establishes an infection leading to mastitis cases

Summary

Introduction

The global meat and milk production has increased in response to an expanding demand [1]. Livestock production is on the increase in Uganda. Dairy farming has sustainably exhibited high growth since the late 1980s, especially in the western part of the country. About one-third (1.7 million) of the households in Uganda keep cattle as a source of income, nutrition, and employment. The cattle population in Uganda is 11.4 million, of which 93.6% were indigenous breeds, 5.6% were dairy cattle of exotic or cross-breed, and only 0.8% were of exotic or cross-breed beef cattle. The annual milk production is 1.5 metric tonnes [2]

Methods

Results

Conclusion