In vivo studies on lysosubtilin. 3. Efficacy for treatment of mastitis and superficial lesions of the udder and teats in cows

摘要

Lysosubtilin is a broad-spectrum preparation of lytic enzymes from Bacillus subtilis designed for veterinary medicine. Samples of milk and udder skin were taken from 115 cows with mastitis or superficial lesions of the udder and teats and examined microbiologically. A high incidence of polymicrobial infections (26.9 and 84.9% for mastitis and superficial udder lesions, respectively) caused by various mixtures of bacteria (both Gram-positive and Gram-negative; Staphylococcus aureus and streptococciwere most prevalent) and fungi/yeasts was found. The optimum dose for mastitis treatment was 3.5 X 106 U lysosubtilin dissolved in 100 ml of distilled water, which was then administered into the mammary gland of 81 cows via the teat canal, once daily until recovery. 20 cows were treated with mastisan and 24 with Padegimas. Lysosubtilin significantly decreased both the length of time before clinical recovery (2 days vs. 4 and 4.5 days with the traditional drugs) and the percentage of animals who sufferedrelapses within a 2-month period following treatment (5 vs. 60%, with one of the 2 drugs). In a field experiment 50 cows were treated with 1% lysosubtilin water-glycerine solution (1:9 v/v), 19 cows were treated with 5% synthomycin liniment, 20 with sulfanilamide liniment, 17 with borasic vaseline and 17 with glycerine. All drugs used yielded a 100% cure rate, but lysosubtilin application reduced the duration of the recovery period (2.5 vs. 4.5-5.5 days) when compared with any of the 4 other drugs tested. Lysosubtilin was also at least 3.4 times more effective that the other medications in preventing mastitis. It is concluded that lysosubtilin may serve as a possible alternative to common antibiotics.