Occurrence of mastitis and associated pathogens with antibiogram in animal population of Peshawar, Pakistan

Abstract

Mastitis is a devastating disease of dairy animals in Pakistan that occurs in clinical and subclinical forms. Various bacterial pathogens are associated with mastitis and the susceptibility of these pathogens remains inconsistent to various antibacterial drugs. This study was aimed to assess the prevalence of mastitis in and around the city of Peshawar, Pakistan.
A total of 2,791 milk samples (Bovine, Ovine and Caprine) were subjected to White side test and Surf field mastitis test. Positive milk samples for mastitis were cultured on different selective culture media for identification of prevalent bacterial pathogens. Antibiogram of these organisms was evaluated against different commonly used antibiotics by disc diffusion method. Out of the 2,791 milk samples, 2,253 (81%) were positive for mastitis using conventional screening tests. From all positive samples different bacterial pathogens were isolated; Escherichia coli was 54.5%, Proteus spp. 12%, Staphylococci spp. 7.5%, Klebsella spp. 6%, Pasteurella spp. 3%, Pseudomonas spp. 2.25%, Salmonella spp. 1.49% and Streptococci spp. 1.5%. Fungus was 0.75%, whereas mixed infections were 11.2%. In antibiogram studies the sensitivity of antibiotics, enrofloxacin, gentamycin, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin and streptomycin were found to be 69.4, 60.5, 57.5, 49.3 and 48.5 percent, respectively. It was found that Escherichia coli and Proteus spp. were the most prevalent pathogens responsible for mastitis in the animals of Peshawar and surrounding areas. Enrofloxacin and gentamicin were found relatively more effective and sensitive against mastitis, providing better outcome in the treatment of mastitis.