VACCINATION WITH STREPTOCOCCUS UBERIS ADHESION MOLECULE INDUCES ANTIBODY RESPONSES IN BOVINE SERUM AND COLOSTRUM

摘要

Mastitis continues to be the most prevalent disease affecting dairy cattle worldwide. In the U.S., economic losses associated with mastitis have been estimated in the order of 2 billion dollar per year. Implementation of mastitis control practices based on teat disinfection, antibiotic dry-cow therapy, and culling of chronic mastitic cows significantly reduces the incidence of contagious mastitis; however, studies have shown that as the prevalence of contagious mastitis pathogens decreased, the incidence of mastitis caused by environmental pathogens increased (2, 3). Streptococcus uberis is one of the most commonly isolated environmental pathogens particularly in well-managed dairy farms that have controlled contagious pathogens (2, 3).