title: Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of bacteria from milkmen and cows with clinical mastitis in and around Kampala, Uganda.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Identification of pathogens associated with bovine mastitis is helpful in treatment and management decisions. However, such data from sub-Saharan Africa is scarce. Here we describe the distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of bacteria from cows with clinical mastitis in Kampala, Uganda. Due to high concern of zoonotic infections, isolates from milkmen are also described.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety seven milk samples from cows with clinical mastitis and 31 nasal swabs from milkmen were collected (one sample per cow/human). Fifty eight (60%) Gram-positive isolates namely Staphylococci (21), Enterococci (16), Streptococci (13), Lactococci (5), Micrococci (2) and Arcanobacteria (1) were detected in cows; only one grew Staphylococcus aureus. Furthermore, 24 (25%) coliforms namely Escherichia coli (12), Klebsiella oxytoca (5), Proteus vulgaris (2), Serratia (2), Citrobacter (1), Cedecea (1) and Leclercia (1) were identified. From humans, 24 Gram-positive bacteria grew, of which 11 were Staphylococci (35%) including four Staphylococcus aureus. Upon susceptibility testing, methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) were prevalent; 57%, 12/21 in cows and 64%, 7/11 in humans. However, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was not detected. Furthermore, methicillin and vancomycin resistant CoNS were detected in cows (Staphylococcus hominis, Staphylococcus lugdunensis) and humans (Staphylococcus scuiri). Also, vancomycin and daptomycin resistant Enterococci (Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium, respectively) were detected in cows. Coliforms were less resistant with three pan-susceptible isolates. However, multidrug resistant Klebsiella, Proteus, Serratia, Cedecea, and Citrobacter were detected. Lastly, similar species grew from human and bovine samples but on genotyping, the isolates were found to be different. Interestingly, human and bovine Staphylococcus aureus were genetically similar (spa-CC435, spa-type t645 corresponding to ST121) but with different susceptibility patterns.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CoNS, Enterococci, Streptococci, and Escherichia coli are the predominant pathogens associated with clinical bovine-mastitis in Kampala, Uganda. Multidrug resistant bacteria are also prevalent. While similar species occurred in humans and cows, transmission was not detected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda. davidkateete@gmail.com
authors.forename: David Patrick
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Kateete
authors.forename: Usuf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kabugo
authors.forename: Hannington
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Baluku
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nyakarahuka
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kyobe
authors.forename: Moses
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okee
authors.forename: Christine Florence
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Najjuka
authors.forename: Moses Lutaakome
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Joloba
mesh_terms: D017750:Animal Technicians; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D002417:Cattle; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial / Q000187:drug effects; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008414:Mastitis, Bovine / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D019105:Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents