Primary Investigator:
Dr. Bhushan Jayarao
Contributing Investigators:
Ernest Hovingh, David R. Wolfgang, Robert J. Van Saun, Lian-Chao Li
Project Description:
It
is our hypothesis that screening quarter milk samples from cows with
mastitis could reveal a vast array of uncharacterized bacterial
antigens of both contagious and environmental mastitis pathogens. The
study will develop a better understanding of the control and expression
of diagnostically relevant antigens of bovine mastitis pathogens.
Objectives:
Acceptance
and application of mastitis control programs, including teat
disinfection, antibiotic therapy, and culling of chronically infected
cows, have led to considerable progress in controlling mastitis caused
by Streptococcus agalactiae and Staphylococcus aureus. However, these
mastitis control procedures are less effective against environmental
Streptococcus species and Gram-negative mastitis pathogens. Studies
have shown that, as the prevalence of contagious mastitis pathogens was
reduced, the proportion of intra mammary infections by environmental
pathogens increased. Therefore, environmental mastitis can be a major
problem in many well-managed dairy farms that have successfully
controlled contagious pathogens. Researchers world-wide have attempted
to develop effective vaccines against both contagious and environmental
mastitis pathogens, most of them have met with limited success. The
primary reason for the lack of effective vaccines against bovine
mastitis is due to the paucity of well characterized antigens that can
be used as immunogens. It is our hypothesis that screening quarter milk
samples from cows with mastitis could reveal a vast array of
uncharacterized bacterial antigens of both contagious and environmental
mastitis pathogens. The proposed study will develop a better
understanding of the control and expression of diagnostically relevant
antigens of bovine mastitis pathogens.
