title: Environmental reservoirs for Serratia marcescens intramammary infections in dairy cows.
abstract: Via special media, Serratia marcescens isolates were found in 3 bedding pack samples and in 2 milking parlor floor samples, and in milk samples from 19 cows during an episode of mastitis in a dairy cow herd. Chromosomal digest patterns of isolated S marcescens were indistinguishable for 18 of the milk samples and all bedding pack samples. Our findings provide strong evidence that the bedding pack was the reservoir of S marcescens associated with the outbreak of intramammary infections. Additionally, our ability to match digest patterns of isolates in the bedding pack and milk confirms the theory that S marcescens is an environmental pathogen capable of causing mastitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman 99164-6610, USA.
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Kamarudin
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Gaskins
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D002417:Cattle; D002452:Cell Count / Q000662:veterinary; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D005260:Female; D008414:Mastitis, Bovine / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D008892:Milk / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology; D016868:Serratia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012706:Serratia marcescens / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial