Abstract
One hundred and seventy-seven (177) bulk tank milk samples were analyzed with a commercially available real-time polymerase chain reaction kit and 11 (6.21%), 41 (23.16%), and 58 (32.77%) tested positive for Mycoplasma bovis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus agalactiae, respectively. Statistical analysis revealed a significant relationship between the presence of S. aureus and S. agalactiae. Enumeration of somatic cells was performed in the same samples by flow cytometry. The somatic cell counts were found higher in S. aureus and S. agalactiae positive samples. No association was found between M. bovis presence and somatic cells counts. Low internal assay control Ct values were found to be related with high somatic cell counts. Noticeably, this is the first report for the presence of M. bovis in Cyprus. Therefore, its presence was confirmed by bulk tank milk culture, conventional PCR, and next generation sequencing. Furthermore, M. bovis was typed with multilocus sequencing typing and was allocated to sequence type 29 (ST 29). Real-time PCR in bulk tank milk samples is a useful tool to detect mammary infections, especially for neglected pathogens such as M. bovis.
Highlights
Mastitis is the most common disease of dairy cows, which results in economic losses to farmers and several animal welfare issues
S. agalactiae was the most common pathogen found in 58/177 bulk tank milk (BTM) samples (32.77%; 95% CI: 25.91–40.21%), followed by S. aureus in 41/177 BTM samples (23.16%; 95% CI: 17.16–30.08%) and M. bovis in 11/177 BTM samples (6.21%; 95% CI: 3.14–10.85%)
S. agalactiae was present in BTM samples from all five districts, S. aureus was not found in BTM samples from one district (Paphos) and M. bovis was not found in BTM samples from two districts, (Limassol and Paphos)
Summary
Mastitis is the most common disease of dairy cows, which results in economic losses to farmers and several animal welfare issues. Researchers and farmers have been making continuous efforts concerning mastitis detection, management, and prevention, since the beginning of modern dairy farming [1]. S. agalactiae and S. aureus are considered to be the most significant contagious pathogens that can cause mastitis in cattle. Management control strategies have been developed for these pathogens. Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) is considered an emerging but overlooked cattle pathogen, which causes, in addition to mastitis, clinical disease with variable symptoms, including pneumonia, arthritis, genital disorders, keratoconjunctivitis, and otitis media [5]. Treatment of mastitis due to M. bovis with antibiotics is difficult and culling remains the most common recommendation [6]
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