Genotype-specific risk factors for Staphylococcus aureus in Swiss dairy herds with an elevated yield-corrected herd somatic cell count

Berchtold, Beat; Bodmer, Michèle; van den Borne, Bart; Reist, Martin; Graber, Hans Ulrich; Steiner, Adrian; Boss, R.; Wohlfender, Franziska (2014). Genotype-specific risk factors for Staphylococcus aureus in Swiss dairy herds with an elevated yield-corrected herd somatic cell count. Journal of dairy science, 97(8), pp. 4886-4896. American Dairy Science Association 10.3168/jds.2013-7760

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Bovine mastitis is a frequent problem in Swiss dairy herds. One of the main pathogens causing significant economic loss is Staphylococcus aureus. Various Staph. aureus genotypes with different biological properties have been described. Genotype B (GTB) of Staph. aureus was identified as the most contagious and one of the most prevalent strains in Switzerland. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors associated with the herd-level presence of Staph. aureus GTB and Staph. aureus non-GTB in Swiss dairy herds with an elevated yield-corrected herd somatic cell count (YCHSCC). One hundred dairy herds with a mean YCHSCC between 200,000 and 300,000cells/mL in 2010 were recruited and each farm was visited once during milking. A standardized protocol investigating demography, mastitis management, cow husbandry, milking system, and milking routine was completed during the visit. A bulk tank milk (BTM) sample was analyzed by real-time PCR for the presence of Staph. aureus GTB to classify the herds into 2 groups: Staph. aureus GTB-positive and Staph. aureus GTB-negative. Moreover, quarter milk samples were aseptically collected for bacteriological culture from cows with a somatic cell count ≥150,000cells/mL on the last test-day before the visit. The culture results allowed us to allocate the Staph. aureus GTB-negative farms to Staph. aureus non-GTB and Staph. aureus-free groups. Multivariable multinomial logistic regression models were built to identify risk factors associated with the herd-level presence of Staph. aureus GTB and Staph. aureus non-GTB. The prevalence of Staph. aureus GTB herds was 16% (n=16), whereas that of Staph. aureus non-GTB herds was 38% (n=38). Herds that sent lactating cows to seasonal communal pastures had significantly higher odds of being infected with Staph. aureus GTB (odds ratio: 10.2, 95% CI: 1.9-56.6), compared with herds without communal pasturing. Herds that purchased heifers had significantly higher odds of being infected with Staph. aureus GTB (rather than Staph. aureus non-GTB) compared with herds without purchase of heifers. Furthermore, herds that did not use udder ointment as supportive therapy for acute mastitis had significantly higher odds of being infected with Staph. aureus GTB (odds ratio: 8.5, 95% CI: 1.6-58.4) or Staph. aureus non-GTB (odds ratio: 6.1, 95% CI: 1.3-27.8) than herds that used udder ointment occasionally or regularly. Herds in which the milker performed unrelated activities during milking had significantly higher odds of being infected with Staph. aureus GTB (rather than Staph. aureus non-GTB) compared with herds in which the milker did not perform unrelated activities at milking. Awareness of 4 potential risk factors identified in this study guides implementation of intervention strategies to improve udder health in both Staph. aureus GTB and Staph. aureus non-GTB herds.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

05 Veterinary Medicine > Research Foci > Veterinary Public Health / Herd Health Management
05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine (DKV)
05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine (DKV) > Clinic for Ruminants
05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Clinical Research and Veterinary Public Health (DCR-VPH) > Veterinary Public Health Institute

UniBE Contributor:

Berchtold, Beat, Bodmer, Michèle, van den Borne, Bart, Reist, Martin, Graber, Hans Ulrich, Steiner, Adrian, Remy-Wohlfender, Franziska

Subjects:

600 Technology > 630 Agriculture
500 Science > 590 Animals (Zoology)

ISSN:

0022-0302

Publisher:

American Dairy Science Association

Language:

English

Submitter:

Patrik Zanolari

Date Deposited:

06 Jan 2015 14:17

Last Modified:

02 Mar 2023 23:25

Publisher DOI:

10.3168/jds.2013-7760

PubMed ID:

24881801

Uncontrolled Keywords:

Staphylococcus aureus genotype B (GTB), Switzerland, bulk milk, risk factor

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.61419

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/61419

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