Untersuchungen zum Vorkommen und zur Persistenz koagulase-negativer Staphylokokken bei Milchziegen

Summary in the original language of the document

Intramammary infections caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) in goats are increasing during the last few years and play an important role like as in dairy cows. The relevance of these microorganisms as potential udder pathogens are con-troversial discussed, but it has been proved that CNS plays an important role in the development of persistent subclinical mastitis. The aim of the present study was the investigation of the occurrence and the persistence of main pathogens in the dairy goat herd of the Institute of Organic Farming of the FAL in Trenthorst over three lacta-tions. Therefore PCR methods based on specific 16S-23S ribosomal RNA spacer sequences, developed for detection of pathogens in cow’s milk, should be tested for their application in goats. DNA used in PCR was isolated directly from milk without cultivation of the bacteria.
The investigation shows that the developed primer systems are useful tools for the detection of CNS in goats. The main CNS in the investigated goat herd is S. epider-midis, S. simulans and S. xylosus. S. epidermidis and S. simulans are persistent over three lactations in some animals but not in all. The reasons for the different behaviour of the bacteria should be investigated in further studies.