Risk factors associated with the occurrence of multiresistant Staphylococcus spp. isolated from bovine subclinical mastitis in northern Brazil

Abstract

Staphylococcus bacteria are often associated with subclinical bovine mastitis. This study aimed to identify multiresistant Staphylococcus spp. associated with subclinical mastitis and the associated risk factors. Twenty-three dairy farms with a history of decrease in milk production, located in the lower Acre region, Brazil, were selected. An epidemiological questionnaire was provided in all farms. All animals were examined using the California Mastitis Test (CMT) and their milk samples were collected for bacterial culture. After isolation and identification, the disk diffusion antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed against nine classes of antimicrobials. Of the 339 cows examined using the CMT, 108 had mastitis. A total of 229 milk samples were collected from individual teats. MALDI-TOF MS found isolates belonging to eight species of Staphylococcus, in 101 of these samples. S. chromogenes (58.4%) demonstrated strongest resistance to the nine classes of antimicrobial active principles. Nineteen isolates with multidrug resistance phenotypic profile were identified. This phenotypic expression indicates wide circulation of resistant genes in this species. The presence of multidrug resistance in Staphylococcus spp. in this study was correlated with lack of water for cleaning the corral, which is a preventive factor, minimizing the transmission and persistence of pathogens in the farms.