By: Rajendra Yadav*, Anshu Sharma, Ashok Kumar, Neelesh Sindhu and Parveen Goel
Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, Ethics and Jurisprudence
CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar (Haryana)
Mastitis is the most common, economically the most important disease and one of the major causes of antibiotics use in dairy industry throughout the world. About 135 – 150 bacterial species, sub-species and serovariants have been isolated from bovine mammary glands affected with mastitis. However, In India, mastitis of economic importance is caused by Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. Identification and knowing the prevalence of these organisms thus becomes essential to evolve proper treatment and control measures. Antimicrobials have been used to treat mastitis for more than fifty years, but consensus about the most efficient, safe, and economical treatment is still lacking. Poor treatment response and presence of mastitis causing bacteria that are resistant to antimicrobials is a major area of concern for dairy farmers, veterinarians and mastitis researchers. More importantly, in the current climate, there could potentially also be implications for the consumer if raw, unpasteurised milk or milk products contained such resistant bacteria. The concept of evidence-based medicine has been introduced to veterinary medicine and should apply also to treatment of mastitis. Treatment of mastitis should be targeted towards the causative bacteria whenever possible, but in acute situations, treatment is initiated based on herd data and personal experience. The use of on-farm written protocols for mastitis treatment can promote judicious use of antimicrobials. The susceptibility of bacteria in various geographical locations may change with time due to selective pressure of antimicrobial therapy. Therefore, regular studies on prevalence and antibiotic sensitivity of bacterial isolates are mandatory for effective and economical treatment of the disease. The present study was therefore undertaken using 856 and 3062 quarters milk samples from mastitis affected cow and buffaloes, respectively, in order to determine and review the current prevalence and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of streptococci to selected antibiotics (Penicillin – G, Streptomycin, Oxytetracycline, Chloramphenicol, Neomycin, Cloxacillin, Enrofloxacin, Gentamicin, Amikacin, Amoxycillin, Ceftriaxon + Salbactum and Ampicillin) and seek for evidence-based, best practice treatment recommendations for bovine mastitis caused by streptococci.
we wish we were so resistant 
