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Page No. : 15-18

ABSTRACT

Bovine mastitis is a multifactorial udder inflammation having immense economic and public health implications. Of the several microorganisms known to cause mastitis in cattle, Candida species has drawn considerable public health attention due to its zoonotic potential. The objective of the present study was to establish Candida parapsilosis as one of the etiological factors of bovine mastitis. Holstein Friesian crossbred cow suffered chronic mastitis in its 8th lactation and initial antibiotic therapy did not show improvement. Milk appeared watery with flakes; when bacterial growth failed, mycotic etiology was suspected and the sample inoculated over Sabouraud’s dextrose agar; incubated at 25°C showed whitish colonies, lactophenol cotton blue staining showed yeast. Pure yeast culture was subjected to confirmation and antifungal susceptibility using an automated system (Vitek®2, Biomerieux). White colony grown over Sabouraud’s dextrose agar revealed and budding yeast after staining with lactophenol cotton blue. Yeast was identified as Candida parapsilosis by Vitek®2 automated system and its antifungal susceptibility testing showed sensitivity to fluconazole, voriconazole, caspofungin, micafungin, amphotericin-B, and flucytosine. Candida parapsilosis was isolated from the milk of an aged cow suffering from antibiotic non-responsive chronic mastitis super-infection. This is the first report of isolation of Candida parapsilosis from the milk of bovine mastitis case in the Karnataka state. Organism being an opportunistic animal or human pathogen has zoonotic transition potential to human handlers. Keeping in view its animal and human health implications, need to educate farmers, strict adherence to milking hygiene practices and systematic surveillance could be recommended.

Keywords: Cattle, fungi, milk, sensitivity, udder, infection, yeast