Yeast Mastitis in Dairy Cows in the Middle-eastern Part of Poland

The aim of study was to assess the incidence of mycotic mastitis in the middle-eastern part of Poland, and to determine genera and species of yeasts, which cause this kind of inflammation. The study involved 2,122 milk samples from cows with clinical and subclinical mastitis from the Lublin and Warsaw regions. The aseptic samples of milk or infected secretions were cultured on the agar and Sabouraud medium with addition of chloramphenicol. Fungi constituted 7.07% of all aetiological agents of mastitis. Four species of fungi were isolated: Candida, Trichosporon, Rhodotorula, and Cryptococcus. Candida sp. was most commonly isolated. The most abundant species included C. krusei, C. kefyr, and C. lusitaniae. Yeast-like fungi were most frequently isolated at the end of winter and in spring.