Short communication: Epidemiology and genotyping of Candida rugosa strains responsible for persistent intramammary infections in dairy cows

Abstract

The present study was undertaken during an outbreak of clinical and subclinical mastitis in 14 dairy cows caused by Candida rugosa, in which high somatic cell counts were seen and cases did not respond to antibiotic treatment. Intramammary infection cured spontaneously in 10 cows, whereas 4 cows were culled as a result of persistent infections. Repeated sampling of these cows and biomolecular analysis of the isolates showed that the infections were caused by the same genotype, even over a period of 2 lactations. Random amplification of the genome of C. rugosa milk isolates gave 3 different DNA banding patterns (genotypes G1, G2, and G3). Viable cells of C. rugosa were also isolated from various environmental sources and were present in high concentrations in total mixed ration samples, which could be considered the primary source of diffusion of viable yeast cells in the environment, as demonstrated by genotyping. The proven capacity of these microorganisms to survive in the environment of the cow, such as the total mixed ration, bedding, water, and cow skin, and to cause persistent intramammary infections highlights the importance of mycotic spread in dairy herds.

Performance of culture media for the isolation and identification of Staphylococcus aureus from bovine mastitis

“…Sample contamination was measured as the frequency of yeasts and fungi present on SBA medium. The presence of opportunistic yeasts in bovine mastitis cases has been previously reported (Scaccabarozzi et al, 2011;Zaragoza et al, 2011;Seker, 2010); therefore, we could not discount the role of isolated yeasts in mastitis cases.…”

Case–control study of risk factors for infectious mastitis in Spanish breastfeeding women

“…Antifungal ointments are often prescribed to treat “mammary candidiasis” on the basis of visual assessment, without a microbiological analysis. Actually, yeasts are an extremely rare cause of lactational mastitis in any mammalian species and there is lack of evidence to reach such a diagnosis [47-49]. It is interesting to note, however, that there is an association between staphylococcal/streptococcal mastitis and candidiasis (oral thrush) in the infant since a high concentration of such bacteria can induce Candida albicans overgrowth.…”

Update of the list of QPS‐recommended biological agents intentionally added to food or feed as notified to EFSA 4: suitability of taxonomic units notified to EFSA until March 2016

“…Barton (2011) noted that it is more commonly reported in Asia and Latin America than in Europe or US and speculated that the origin of infections with C. rugosa can be contaminated milk or food products. Scaccabarozzi et al, 2011;S ßeker and € Ozenc ß, 2011). isolates from medical centres from different parts of the world and supported the view that the prevalence of C. rugosa seems to increase.…”

“…buffaloes and dairy cows (e.g. Scaccabarozzi et al, 2011;S ßeker and € Ozenc ß, 2011). In some of these reports, there is a possibility that the strains might have been misidentified, which introduces uncertainty regarding reports of C. rugosa as an emerging opportunistic pathogen (Kurtzman et al, 2011).…”