Molecular prophage typing of Staphylococcus aureus isolates from bovine mastitis

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the major pathogens causing bovine mastitis and foodborne diseases associated with dairy products. To determine the genetic relationships between human and bovine or bovine isolates of S. aureus, various molecular methods have been used. Previously we developed an rpoB sequence typing (RSTing) method for molecular differentiation of S. aureus isolates and identification of RpoB-related antibiotic resistance. In this study, we performed spa typing and RSTing with 84 isolates from mastitic cows (22 farms, 72 cows, and 84 udders) and developed a molecular prophage typing (mPPTing) method for molecular epidemiological analysis of bovine mastitis. To compare the results, human isolates from patients (n = 14) and GenBank (n = 166) were used for real and in silico RSTing and mPPTing, respectively. Based on the results, RST10-2 and RST4-1 were the most common rpoB sequence types (RSTs) in cows and humans, respectively, and most isolates from cows and humans clearly differed. Antibiotic resistance-related RSTs were not detected in the cow isolates. A single dominant prophage type and gradual evolution through prophage acquisition were apparent in most of the tested farms. Thus, RSTing and mPPTing are informative, simple, and economic methods for molecular epidemiological analysis of S. aureus infections.

Molecular identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci by rpoB sequence typing / 대한수의학회지

Bovine mastitis (BM) has resulted in enormous economic loss in the dairy industry and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) have caused subclinical BM. Although VITEK 2 GP ID card (VITEK 2) has been used for CNS identification, the probability of identification varies. The rpoB sequence typing (RSTing) method has been used for molecular diagnosis and epidemiology of bacterial infections. In this study, we undertook RSTing of CNS and compared the results with those of VITEK2 and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. As compared VITEK2, the molecular-based methods were more reliable for species identification; moreover, RSTing provided more molecular epidemiological information than that from 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Molecular identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci by rpoB sequence typing

Bovine mastitis (BM) has resulted in enormous economic loss in the dairy industry and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) have caused subclinical BM. Although VITEK 2 GP ID card (VITEK 2) has been used for CNS identification, the probability of identification varies. The rpoB sequence typing (RSTing) method has been used for molecular diagnosis and epidemiology of bacterial infections. In this study, we undertook RSTing of CNS and compared the results with those of VITEK2 and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. As compared VITEK2, the molecular-based methods were more reliable for species identification; moreover, RSTing provided more molecular epidemiological information than that from 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Identification of microbiome with 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing and antimicrobial effect of egg white in bovine mastitis

Bovine mastitis is an important microbial disease in the dairy industry. We investigated the frequencies of bacterial pathogens in 62 farms and pathogen antibiotic resistance from mastitis samples (n = 748). We tested the antimicrobial activity of chicken and duck egg white and lysozyme purified from chicken egg white. Moreover, we compared the microbiomes of normal and mastitic raw milk obtained by 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing and culture methods. The results showed that the frequencies of Gram-positive pathogens (Enterococcus faecalis 37% and Staphylococcus aureus 36%) were higher than that of a Gram-negative pathogen (Escherichia coli 15%). Resistance frequencies to ampicillin and norfloxacin were lowest in Staphylococcus aureus (21%), Enterococcus faecalis (23%), and Escherichia coli (33%), and the antimicrobial activity of chicken egg white was higher than those of lysozyme and duck egg white. Pyrosequencing results revealed clear differences between the microbiomes of mastitic and normal raw milk samples and revealed a slightly similar, but clearly different, composition of pathogens compared to that from the culture method. Thus, pyrosequencing may be useful for elucidating changes in microbiomes during mastitis progression and treatment. A chicken egg white and antibiotic combination may help with mastitis treatment; however, further studies are needed.