Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Mastitis Causing Bacteria From Cows on Farms In Uasin- Gishu County, Kenya.
Abstract
Bovine mastitis is potentially zoonotic with global distribution, and its increasing prevalence is attributed to the rising microbial resistance to frequently used antimicrobial drugs. The disease is attributable to more than 135 microbial pathogens, including bacteria, mycoplasma and fungi. The objective of this study was to establish the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of mastitis-causing pathogens from dairy cows in Uasin Gishu County of Kenya. This was a prospective cohort study in which 216 cows on 81 smallholder farms were recruited. The cows were first screened using the microbiological culture method, and only those free from mastitis were followed up for study. A multi-stage sampling of pooled mid-stream milk for bacterial isolation, identification and antimicrobial sensitivity
testing was done every 21 days for ten months. Among the bacterial isolates from cows that developed mastitis, 104 (48.2%) were identified through biochemical tests and antimicrobial susceptibility testing using the Bauer Kirby disc diffusion method. A total of 10 bacterial species were isolated: - Staphylococcus epidermidis (21.3%), S. aureus (9.3%), Escherichia coli (5.1%), Citrobacter freundii (2.8%), Micrococcus species (2.3%), Streptococcus species (2.3%) with Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other species occurring at (<1.9%). The cumulative antimicrobial resistance rates were high, ranging from Ampicillin (81.7%), Penicillin (80.8%) and Sulfamethoxazole (60.6%). At the same time, Gentamicin (94.2%) and Kanamycin (66.3%) were the most sensitive antimicrobials (P<0.0004), which can be recommended for the treatment of mastitis. Staphylococcus species and E. coli were the main causative agents of mastitis. The antimicrobial susceptibility laboratory testing for mastitis pathogens prior to treatment is recommended.
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