Introduction to Mastitis

Question 1

What is mastitis?

Answer 1

Any disease which causes an immune response and inflammation of mammary tissue

Question 2

What are some of the possible causes of mastitis?

Answer 2

Bacteria (cause the huge majority of cases), viruses, fungi, physical e.g. trauma, toxins & neoplasia

Question 3

What are the two types of mastitis?

Answer 3

Contagious & environmental

Question 4

What are the common bacteria that cause contagious mastitis?

Answer 4

Staphylococcus aureus (gram +ve cocci), Streptococcus agalactiae (gram +ve cocci), Streptococcus dysgalactiae (gram +ve cocci)

Question 5

What are the common bacteria that cause environmental mastitis?

Answer 5

Escherichia coli (gram –ve bacilli), Streptococcus uberis (gram +ve coccus – most common cause of clinical mastitis in the UK), Streptococcus dysgalactiae (gram +ve cocci)

Question 6

What are the clinical signs of mastitis?

Answer 6

Changes to the milk, inflammation of the gland, systemic illness of varying severity

Question 7

What are the three grades of mastitis?

Answer 7

Grade 1 (mild) – change to the milk only
Grade 2 (moderate) – changes to the udder
Grade 3 (severe) – changes to the cow

Question 8

What is the difference between clinical and sub-clinical disease?

Answer 8

Clinical disease can be identified on the basis of clinical signs, sub-clinical disease is present but no visual signs of disease can be identified

Question 9

What is the difference between acute and chronic disease?

Answer 9

Acute is sudden in onset, often sever signs of disease

Chronic persists for a prolonged period of time, usually subclinical or mild-signs of disease

Question 10

What is the five point plan for controlling mastitis?

Answer 10

1. Post milking teat disinfection
2. Treat clinical cases promptly
3. Dry cow therapy for all animals
4. Cull chronically infected animals – major reservoir for contagious pathogens
5. Milking machine maintenance

Question 11

What is the most common treatment method?

Answer 11

Aseptic infusion of intra-mammary antibiotic tubes

Question 12

What is the purpose of a pre-milk teat disinfection?

Answer 12

Helps to prevent environmental mastitis

Question 13

How can sub-clinical mastitis be detected?

Answer 13

If large numbers of the herd are infected sub-clinically the BMSCC will rise?

Question 14

What is BMSCC?

Answer 14

Bulk milk somatic cell count

Question 15

What is the California mastitis test?

Answer 15

Milk is mixed with a coloured detergent which reacts with any cells present, the degree of thickening is directly proportional to the number of cells present – simple & cheap, can be used to identify problem cows and infected quarters