Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.46419/vs.56.6.11

Mastitis pathogens in goats and sheep in the Republic of Croatia and their sensitivity to antimicrobials

Luka Cvetnić orcid.org/0009-0009-3474-6998 ; Hrvatski veterinarski institut, Zagreb, Hrvatska *
Marko Samardžija orcid.org/0000-0003-0402-3173 ; Veterinarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Hrvatska
Tomislav Sukalić orcid.org/0009-0000-5003-6122 ; Hrvatski veterinarski institut - podružnica Veterinarski institut Križevci, Hrvatska
Damir Lukačević orcid.org/0000-0002-6923-0205 ; Hrvatski veterinarski institut - podružnica Veterinarski institut Split, Hrvatska
Marica Lolić orcid.org/0000-0002-7325-3549 ; Hrvatski veterinarski institut - podružnica Veterinarski institut Vinkovci, Hrvatska
Gordan Kompes orcid.org/0009-0000-4934-1357 ; Hrvatski veterinarski institut, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Boris Habrun orcid.org/0009-0002-9688-026X ; Hrvatski veterinarski institut, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Antonela Bagarić orcid.org/0009-0002-5567-681X ; Hrvatski veterinarski institut, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Željko Cvetnić ; Hrvatski veterinarski institut - podružnica Veterinarski institut Križevci, Hrvatska
Miroslav Benić orcid.org/0000-0001-7594-520X ; Hrvatski veterinarski institut, Zagreb, Hrvatska

* Corresponding author.

Abstract

This paper outlines the results of researching the incidence of mastitis in small ruminants in the Republic of Croatia over a six-year period (2017 to 2022). During this period, microbiological testing was performed on 801 samples of udder secretions from small ruminants in 13 counties and the city of Zagreb, with 178 samples (22.2%) testing positive for mastitis pathogens. Of the total 609 udder secretion samples from goats, mastitis agents were isolated from 150 samples (24.6%), while the 192 udder secretion samples from sheep revealed 28 (14.6%) contained mastitis agents. The highest prevalence of mastitis pathogens in goat udder secretions was found in 2018 (31.8%), and in sheep in 2020 (32.9%). Microbiological testing identified 16 species and genera of bacteria. The most common species were Staphylococcus aureus, isolated from 96 (53.9%) samples, Staphylococcus
spp. (46 samples; 25.8%), Streptococcus spp. (7; 3.9%), Klebsiella spp. and Corynebacterium spp. (each 5; 2.8%), Escherichia coli (4; 2.2%), Streptococcus uberis and Proteus spp. (each 3; 1.7%), and Pseudomonas spp. (2; 1.1%). Other species and genera, such as Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, Pasteurella spp., Mannheimia haemolytica, Enterococcus spp., Enterobacter and Serratia spp. were isolated sporadically, each from one sample. The isolated bacterial cultures were tested for sensitivity to antimicrobials using the disc-diffusion method to amoxicillin with clavulanic acid, ampicillin, cefaperazone, enrofloxacin, kanamycin, cloxacillin, lincomycin, neomycin, novobiocin, penicillin, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole with
trimethoprim, and tetracycline. Sensitivity of the isolated agents to the antimicrobials was most pronounced towards cefoperazone and enrofloxacin, regardless of the species or genera of the isolated mastitis agent. The odds of isolating a mastitis agent from goat udder secretions was 1.61 times higher than for sheep (P<0.05). This study confirmed that the occurrence
of mastitis in small ruminants in Croatia is comparable to incidences reported in other Mediterranean countries.

Keywords

mastitis; prevalence; antimicrobial resistance; small ruminants

Hrčak ID:

328080

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/328080

Publication date:

16.3.2025.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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