Author
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Guidry, Albert |
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Obrien, Celia |
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Submitted to: Flemish Veterinary Journal
Publication Type: Review Article Publication Acceptance Date: 12/20/1997 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Mastitis cost the US dairymen more than $2 million annually. Currently the prophylactic and therapeutic treatments for mastitis depend on antibiotices. Though somewhat effective antibiotics have resulted in the generation of antibiotic resistant bacterial strains. Therefore, new and more potent antibiotics must be developed. Unfortunately this process continues with the awesome possibility of bacteria producing strains that will withstand all antibiotics currently available or developed in the future. Resistant bacterial strains are not only an obstacle to the effective prevention and treatment of bovine mastitis, but are an even greater threat to human health. To minimize the use of antibiotics, researchers have attempted to develop vaccines against common mastitis causing bacteria. However, their efforts have met with limited success. The major obstacle to development of effective vaccines has been a lack of understanding of the bovine immune system and the interaction of bacteria with the bovine mammary gland. In the past decade our understanding of both the bovine immune system, both humoral and cellular, and mastitis pathogens has increased the potential for development of effective vaccines. This report reviews our current awareness of the bovine immune system as it relates to bacterial infection of the mammary gland. It gives reasons for failure of previous vaccines and suggest new approaches development of future vaccines. Technical Abstract: Currently both prophylactic and therapeutic treatments for mastitis depend on antibiotics. However, as bacteria generate new strains that are resistant to existing antibiotics new and more potent antibiotics must be developed. Unfortunately this process continues with the awesome possibility of bacteria producing strains that will withstand all antibiotics currently available or developed in the future. Resistant bacterial strains are not only an obstacle to the effective prevention and treatment of bovine mastitis, but are an even greater threat to human health. To minimize the use of antibiotics, researchers have attempted to develop vaccines against common mastitis causing bacteria. However, their efforts have met with limited success. The major obstacle to development of effective vaccines has been a lack of understanding of the bovine immune system and the interaction of bacteria with the bovine mammary gland. In the past decade our understanding of both the bovine immune system and mastitis pathogens has increased the potential for development of effective vaccines against mastitis. This report reviews our current awareness of the bovine immune system as it relates to bacterial infection of the mammary gland. |
