Clinical bovine mastitis caused by Geotrichum candidum

Mastitis, which has multiple and complex aetiology, is a common syndrome among bovines and inflicts enormous losses on livestock owners. The mastitis cases are infectious in nature and are usually caused by bacteria, fungi/yeasts and some algae. An interesting case of protracted clinical mastitis in a Holstein-Fresian cow in its third lactation was encountered, with exclusive involvement of Geotrichum candidum, an extremely rare in occurrence. G. candidum, an opportunisitic, keratinophilic yeast-like fungus, was identified by its diagnostic colonial characteristics and microscopic morphology, i.e. rectangular arthrospores (arthroconidia) after staining with lactophenol cotton blue stain (LPCB) in a wet mount, and Gram’s stain after heat fixation of the smear. This fungal isolate was also subjected to in-vitro antifungal sensitivity test against cotrimazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, amphotericin-B and nystatin, but was found sensitive only to amphotericin-B.