title: Further evidence for the existence of environmental and host-associated species of coagulase-negative staphylococci in dairy cattle.
abstract: Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) are abundantly present in the dairy farm environment and on bovine skin and mucosae. They are also the most prevalent bacteria causing bovine intramammary infections (IMI). Reservoirs and transmission routes of CNS are not yet fully unraveled. The objectives of this study were to explore the distribution of CNS in parlor-related extramammary niches and to compare it to the distributions of CNS causing IMI in those herds. Niches that were targeted in this study were cows' teat apices, milking machine unit liners, and milker's skin or gloves. Each of the three herds had its own CNS microbiota in those niches. The most prevalent species in the parlor-related extramammary niches were Staphylococcus cohnii, S. fleurettii, and S. equorum in the first, second, and third herd, respectively, whereas S. haemolyticus and S. sciuri were found in all herds. S. cohnii and S. fleurettii, as well as S. haemolyticus, which was present in each herd, were also frequently found in milk samples. By contrast, S. chromogenes, S. simulans, and S. xylosus favored the mammary gland, whereas S. equorum was more common in the parlor-associated niches. Within each herd, species distribution was similar between teat apices and milking machine unit liners. In conclusion, some of the extramammary niches related to the milking process might act as infection sources for IMI-causing CNS. This study provides further evidence that the group of CNS species is comprised of environmental, opportunistic and host-adapted species which differ in ecology.
authors.affiliation: M-team and Mastitis and Milk Quality Research Unit, Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. Electronic address: Anneleen.Devisscher@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Anneleen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Visscher
authors.affiliation: Milk Control Centre Flanders, Lier, Belgium.
authors.forename: Karlien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Supré
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Freddy
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haesebrouck
authors.affiliation: Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Penicuik, Scotland, UK; Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Ruth N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Zadoks
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Veerle
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Piessens
authors.affiliation: Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Technology and Food Science Unit, Melle, Belgium.
authors.forename: Els
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van Coillie
authors.affiliation: M-team and Mastitis and Milk Quality Research Unit, Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sofie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piepers
authors.affiliation: M-team and Mastitis and Milk Quality Research Unit, Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sarne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Vliegher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003030:Coagulase; D003612:Dairying; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000382:microbiology; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D005260:Female; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000382:microbiology; D008414:Mastitis, Bovine / Q000382:microbiology*; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology; D015995:Prevalence; D013045:Species Specificity; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000145:classification*
chemical_list: D003030:Coagulase
keywords: Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species; Dairy cow; Intramammary infection; Parlor-associated extramammary niche