Mastitis

Introduction
• Inflammation of the parenchyma of the mammary gland caused by variety of different infectious organism.

• Characterized by physical, chemical and usually bacteriological changes in the milk and by pathological changes in
the glandular tissue.

• Mastitis is distributed worldwide where dry animals are kept.

• Most costly disease of dairy animals.

Etiology:
• Bacteria (70%):
• Example- Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus Sps., E- Coli, Actinomyces, Campylovacter, Haemophilus
sps, Klebsiella sps, Enterobactr aerogenes, Mycobacterium bovis, etc
• Yeasts and molds (~2%)
• Unknown (~28%)
• Physical, trauma, weather extemes
Source of infection
• Infected udder

• Enviroment
• Bedding
• Soil
• Water
• Manure

• Replacement animals
 Transmission
Source of infection:
• Infected udder, Enviroment (Bedding ,Soil, Water,
Manure), Replacement animals

Transmission occurs by
• hands of milker, milking machine cups and
flies
• By lying on contaminated ground
• Hematogenously or through skin injuries
Pathogenesis
 Clinical Symptoms
Per acute Mastitis:

• Sudden onset of severe inflammation of one or more quarters

• Includes: toxemia, fever, tachycardia, ruminal stasis, anorexia, general depression and
recumbency.

• Complete cessation of milk production, often presence of blood stained exudates,

• Udder extremely hot, painful and swollen initially. However, within few hours
affected quarters start to show bluish discoloration, coldness and insensitivity

• In some cases the affected quarter may become gangrenous and slough.
 Clinical Symptoms
Acute Mastits:

• Sudden onset of inflammation of one or more quarters

• Includes: toxemia, fever, tachycardia, ruminal stasis, anorexia, general depression and
recumbency.

• Complete cessation of milk production, often presence of blood stained exudates,

• Udder extremely hot, painful and swollen initially. However, within few hours
affected quarters start to show bluish discoloration, coldness and insensitivity

• In some cases the affected quarter may become gangrenous and slough.
 Findings
• Mainly limited to the affected udders

• Loss of symmetry of the udder

• Udder become hot, red, swollen and painful

• Flakes of milks or sometime pus or blood mix milk is discharged

• Gangrene formation in udder

• Chronic case: atropy of udder, becomes cold and indurated

Microscopically:

• Infiltration of neutrophil in acute cases but lot of macrophages and lymphocytes in later
stages

• In chronic cases- proliferation of the fibroblast.

Diagnosis
• History, epidemiological picture
• Clinical examination of the udder and supramammary lymph node
• Examination of the milk
• Visual examination- wateriness, flakes, pus and blood clots
• Indirect examination- California Mastitis Test (CMT)….gel formation
positive.
• Isolation and identification of organism after inoculating in MacConkey ,
Edwards or Sabouraud agar (Fungal)-----Gram stain the colonies to
determine organism morphology
• Biochemical test to differentiate the organism;;Coagulase, oxidase and
catalase.