title: Multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay for simultaneous detection of Staphylococcus aureus and streptococcal causes of bovine mastitis.
abstract: To improve diagnosis of mastitis in dairy cattle, a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed for the simultaneous detection of the four major bacterial causes of bovine mastitis, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, and Streptococcus uberis. The target sequence was the 16S to 23S rRNA spacer regions. The performance of the assay was examined with 117 milk samples collected from a subclinically infected herd, and the diagnostic specificities and sensitivities of the multiplex PCR were compared with conventional culture. PCR was significantly more sensitive than culture for detection of S. aureus and S. uberis, but there were no significant differences in sensitivities between PCR and culture for the detection of S. agalactiae and S. dysgalactiae. The results suggest that this multiplex PCR assay could be used as an alternative method in routine diagnosis for rapid, sensitive, and specific simultaneous detection of S. aureus, S. agalactiae, S. dysgalactiae, and S. uberis in milk samples.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Phuektes
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Mansell
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Browning
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002417:Cattle; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D008414:Mastitis, Bovine / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial