Bovine mastitis and its diagnosis

Mastitis is inflammation of mammary gland and most devastating disease condition in terms of economic losses occurring throughout the world. The etiological agents may vary from place to place depending on climate; animal species and animal husbandry and include wide variety of gram positive and gram negative bacteria; and fungi. Conventional diagnostic tests viz. California Mastitis Test (CMT) and Somatic cell count. The advent of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technology along with its various versions like multiplex and real time PCR has improved the rapidity and sensitivity of diagnosis. The measuring of the somatic cell count in milk is the standard method, but the analysis technique is problematic for routine use in herds. The most promising parameters for monitoring subclinical mastitis are milk N-acetyl--D-glucosaminidase activity, lactose, and electrical conductivity along with some other indicators such as optical and milk flow measurements, preferably with an interquarter evaluation included in the test. Acute phase proteins, haptoglobin and serum amyloid A, are also potential candidates for mastitis monitoring.