Subacute Mastitis Research Articles

E. colimastitis - a closer look at the causative bacteria

E. coli is one of the most important causes of mastitis in dairy cattle in the UK. Traditionally, E. coli mastitis has been associated with peracute mastitis but it is now more commonly associated with subacute mastitis without obvious systemic signs and with persistence in the udder after treatment. This suggests that the E. coli strains causing mastitis may have become udder-adapted. However evaluation of phylogeny and the possession of virulence factors suggest that E. coli infection of the udder is simply opportunistic infection by commensal stains of the bacteria which are not specifically adapted to invade or persist in the udder.

Bacteria Staphylococcus spp. izolated from mastitis of sheep and their enterotoxigenic properties

In our study was followed occurrence of staphylococcal mastitis in herd of 350 sheep during one lactation season. We found, the bacteria S. schleiferi was identified in 88 from all 204 isolates. In high number were identified also S. caprae (33), S. chromogenes (21), S. aureus (19), S. epidermidis (17), respectively. Important was occurrence S. intermedius, S. simulans, S. xylosus a S. warneri, too. The Staphylococcuss spp. caused latent and subclinical forms of mastitis predominantly, showed into subacute mastitis (26.5%). Acute mastitis was determined in 7.8 %. Eight bacteria S. aureus, two S. chromogenes, and two S. epidermidis produced staphylococcal enterotoxins.

The influence of administration of biotin and zinc chelate (Zn-methionine) to cows in the first and second trimester of lactation on their health and productivity

In cattle, the prevention of diseases might be possible using dietary methods, with nutritional optimization of feed rations. For years significant influence has been associated with the addition of biotin, methionine and zinc (each given individually, or as chelate - Zn-methionine). The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of biotin or biotin + Zn-methionine additives on the health and performance of cows, in the first and second trimester of lactation. This study was carried out in 3 groups of cows, 30 animals in each group. In the first group cows were fed the usual fodder used on the farm. In the second group biotin at 10 mg/day/cow was added. In the third group both biotin at 10 mg/day/cow and Zn-methionine at 5 g/day/cow were added. The administration of biotin increased the milk yield and reduced the occurrence of retained placenta, as well as endometritis puerperalis. However, the high doses of biotin suppressed ovulation and oestrus symptoms in the investigated cows (low progesterone levels on days 15, 21 and 45 after calving). Zn-methionine in comparison to biotin had a lower effect on the milk yield in the cows. Moreover, its supplementation improved the milk content, as well as some of the blood parameters; it also decreased the number of somatic cells in milk. The concurrent administration of biotin and zinc-methionine seemed to be a good method for the prophylaxis of subacute mastitis and for the improvement of the high yielding dairy cows' productivity.

SOMATIC CELLS AND MILK HEALTH

The quality of milk as an aliment (functional aliment) and finding the modifications that come along with mamitis as quickly as possible, but also other udder diseases that produce udder dysfunctions, was and remains a major problem of the medical, medical – veterinary and other domains’ research. This supposes elaborating some high sensibility tests, which, through the investigation of a small quantity of milk and in little time, would offer cert information regarding its health, respectively the possibility of early diagnosis in cases of mamitis or other abnormal udder states. After signaling the somatic cells in milk with almost a century before, they were and still are considered among the milk’s small components. Their importance for the udder health and therefore of milk milk health was revealed later, but is at present among the hygienic quality indicators of public consumption destined milk. The cytomorphologic study on the lactosediment stained May Grunwald Giemsa and somatic cell count by the ISO-13366-1 method made on raw goat and sheep milk, collected during 3 lactations, permitted us to establish with enough precision the hygienic quality (health) of it. The somatic cell count is highly superior in these species compared to cow, in the majority of cases crossing the limit imposed by the European Community. After systemizing and analyzing the gathered data in function of the somatic cell count, lactating period and the cytomorphologic aspects, the diagnosis of mamitis and identification of germ carrier animals. The cytological configuration of lactosediment smears made possible differentiating the following milk categories: healthy, normal milk, milked and presented in hygienic conditions; microbiologically intensely polluted milk; milk from animals which are at the end of the lactation period or mammary pause and also milk from animals with chronic or subacute mastitis, clinically unexpressed, with germ carrier and eliminating animals.

The descriptive epidemiology of udder lesions in Northern Iraqi ewes

Pathological lesions of the mammary glands were studied in 3693 randomly selected ewes in Northern Iraq between July 1988 and June 1989. The lesions were encountered in 3.9% ( 143 3693 ) of the ewes. Prevalences of mastitis, neoplasms and miscellaneous lesions were 3.5% ( 131 3693 ), 0.2% ( 6 3693 ) and 0.2% ( 6 3693 ), respectively. Five patterns of mastitis were encountered: acute suppurative, subacute suppurative, subacute non-suppurative, chronic suppurative and chronic non-suppurative. Mammary neoplasms encountered in the present study included adenocarcinoma, papilloma of the skin of the teat and haemangiopapilloma of the cistern. The miscellaneous lesions of the mammary gland included subepidermal cysts; hyperplasia, metaplasia and dysplasia of the ductal epithelium; thelitis; the presence of corpora amylacia; and blind teats. The highest prevalence of mastitis was during May and June. Significant differences were not encountered in the prevalence of mastitis in various age groups and breeds. Bacteria that were isolated from mastitic udders included Staphylococcus spp., Corynebacterium pyogenes, Pasteurella hemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, and a mixture of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus spp. The staphylococci were isolated from almost all types of mastitis, C. pyogenes from chronic supparative mastitis, and the pasteurellae from the acute and subacute mastitis. Fungi were not isolated.

The Cellular and Immune Response in Milk and Regional Lymph During Experimental Mastitis

Experiments have been carried out to study antibody and cellular responses in mammary lymph and milk from ewes with experimental mastitis. Virulent staphylococci were infused into one mammary gland from which lymph was collected for varying periods by cannulation of the efferent mammary lymphatic duct. Anti-α-haemolysin titres rose to relatively high levels in the plasma and lymph, and in the secretion from the infected gland in ewes with acute mastitis, but not in ewes with subacute mastitis. The contribution of the supramammary lymph node to the lymph titre, appeared to be slight. In 2 animals, there was a suggestion of local antibody production by the infected gland. The cellular response in the lymph was characterised by the appearance of polymorphs in large numbers during the first 24. hr. after infection of the gland. In all animals, mature plasma cells in lymph reached a maximum at 5 days, while the maximum antibody titre in lymph occurred 2 days later. In sub-acute mastitis, as signs of inflammation diminished, cellular changes in the milk, similar to those seen during involution of the mammary gland, were observed.

TERTIARY SYPHILIS OF THE BREAST

Syphilis of the breast is an infrequent localization of a common disease. From Jan. 1, 1917, to Jan. 1, 1929, 2,663 patients with carcinoma of the breast, 180 with fibro-adenomas, 18 with sarcomas, 20 with Paget's disease and approximately 1,000 with subacute and chronic mastitis were admitted to the breast service of the Memorial Hospital for diagnosis and treatment. Only 2 of these approximately 4,000 patients had definite and recognizable syphilis of the breast, an incidence of about 0.05 per cent. The first instance, a gumma of the breast, was reported by Adair 1 in 1924. REPORT OF A CASE History.— A. P., an Italian widow, aged 45, entered the clinic complaining of ulcer of the right nipple. Previous to the onset of this trouble she had never been aware of any disease. She had seven healthy children, all of normal birth, six of whom were breast-fed. Her youngest child