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Meroni G, Sora V, Zaghen F, Laterza G, Martino PA, Zecconi A. Innovative Elastomers with Antimicrobial Activity May Decrease Infection Risks during Milking. Pathogens 2023; 12:1431. [PMID: 38133314 PMCID: PMC10747183 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12121431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Contagious pathogens are very costly to dairy herds, and they may have zoonotic and reverse-zoonotic potentials and may contribute to the spread of antimicrobial resistance. One of the most important risk factors for spreading these infections is milking, when liner contamination may transfer the pathogens from infected to healthy cows. There is no effective protocol to prevent the transmission of infection without the segregation of infected cows. Recently, the availability of elastomers with patented antimicrobial components in their formulations has allowed the exploration of alternative methods to reduce the risk of infection. Two different types of elastomers (rubber and silicone) and nine different formulations were challenged with three major mastitis pathogens (S. aureus, S. agalactiae, and E. coli). The results that were obtained in this study were interesting and unexpected. Indeed, to our knowledge, this is the first study to show that basic rubber materials have intrinsic antimicrobial activity. Silicone elastomers did not exhibit the same levels of bactericidal activity, although they did exhibit some antibacterial capacity. A significant decrease in bacterial survival curves was observed for all the formulations tested when antimicrobial components were added. The different results observed for the various products are likely due to the different formulations and diverse manufacturing processes. The availability of these new materials that significantly reduce the bacterial load on the liner surface may reduce the risk of spreading intramammary infections during milking. This would be an important step forward in achieving global sustainability of dairy herds, consistent with the objectives of One Health, by reducing the risks of zoonotic diseases and antimicrobial treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Meroni
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences-One Health Unit, School of Medicine, University of Milan, Via Pascal 36, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.M.); (V.S.); (F.Z.); (G.L.); (P.A.M.)
| | - Valerio Sora
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences-One Health Unit, School of Medicine, University of Milan, Via Pascal 36, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.M.); (V.S.); (F.Z.); (G.L.); (P.A.M.)
- Department of Clinical and Community Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Milan, Via Celoria 22, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Zaghen
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences-One Health Unit, School of Medicine, University of Milan, Via Pascal 36, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.M.); (V.S.); (F.Z.); (G.L.); (P.A.M.)
- Department of Clinical and Community Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Milan, Via Celoria 22, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Laterza
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences-One Health Unit, School of Medicine, University of Milan, Via Pascal 36, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.M.); (V.S.); (F.Z.); (G.L.); (P.A.M.)
- Department of Clinical and Community Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Milan, Via Celoria 22, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Piera Anna Martino
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences-One Health Unit, School of Medicine, University of Milan, Via Pascal 36, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.M.); (V.S.); (F.Z.); (G.L.); (P.A.M.)
| | - Alfonso Zecconi
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences-One Health Unit, School of Medicine, University of Milan, Via Pascal 36, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.M.); (V.S.); (F.Z.); (G.L.); (P.A.M.)
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Mejia ME, Robertson CM, Patras KA. Interspecies Interactions within the Host: the Social Network of Group B Streptococcus. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0044022. [PMID: 36975791 PMCID: PMC10112235 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00440-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a pervasive neonatal pathogen accounting for a combined half a million deaths and stillbirths annually. The most common source of fetal or neonatal GBS exposure is the maternal microbiota. GBS asymptomatically colonizes the gastrointestinal and vaginal mucosa of 1 in 5 individuals globally, although its precise role in these niches is not well understood. To prevent vertical transmission, broad-spectrum antibiotics are administered to GBS-positive mothers during labor in many countries. Although antibiotics have significantly reduced GBS early-onset neonatal disease, there are several unintended consequences, including an altered neonatal microbiota and increased risk for other microbial infections. Additionally, the incidence of late-onset GBS neonatal disease remains unaffected and has sparked an emerging hypothesis that GBS-microbe interactions in developing neonatal gut microbiota may be directly involved in this disease process. This review summarizes our current understanding of GBS interactions with other resident microbes at the mucosal surface from multiple angles, including clinical association studies, agriculture and aquaculture observations, and experimental animal model systems. We also include a comprehensive review of in vitro findings of GBS interactions with other bacterial and fungal microbes, both commensal and pathogenic, along with newly established animal models of GBS vaginal colonization and in utero or neonatal infection. Finally, we provide a perspective on emerging areas of research and current strategies to design microbe-targeting prebiotic or probiotic therapeutic intervention strategies to prevent GBS disease in vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlyd E. Mejia
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Clare M. Robertson
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Kathryn A. Patras
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
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Bonestroo J, Fall N, Hogeveen H, Emanuelson U, Klaas IC, van der Voort M. The costs of chronic mastitis: A simulation study of an automatic milking system farm. Prev Vet Med 2023; 210:105799. [PMID: 36436383 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2022.105799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Mastitis is a production disease in dairy farming that causes economic losses. Especially chronic mastitis (i.e., mastitis cases continuing longer than 28 days) can substantially affect the risk of transmission of intramammary infections (IMI) and total milk production losses. Insights into the impact of chronic mastitis on production and farm economics are needed to guide chronic mastitis decision-making. We aimed to estimate the costs of chronic mastitis with a Monte Carlo simulation model in which the costs of chronic mastitis were estimated as part of the total mastitis costs. The model simulated milk yields, IMI dynamics, somatic cell count (SCC), and pregnancy status on an average Dutch dairy farm with 100 cow places over 9 years. The model was parameterized using information from the literature and actual sensor data from automatic milking system (AMS) farms. The daily subclinical milk production losses were modeled using a generalized additive model and sensor data. Transmission of IMI was modeled as well. The model results indicated median total costs of mastitis of € 230 per generic IMI case (i.e., a weighted average of all pathogens). The most substantial cost factors were the extra mastitis cases due to transmission, culling, and milk production losses. Other significant costs originated from dry cow treatments and diverted milk. The model also indicated median total costs due to chronic mastitis of € 118 (51 % of the total mastitis costs). The share of chronic mastitis relative to the total mastitis costs was substantial. Transmission of contagious bacteria had the largest share among the chronic mastitis costs (51 % of the costs of chronic cases). The large share of chronic mastitis costs in the total mastitis costs indicates the economic importance of these mastitis cases. The results of the study point to the need for future research to focus on chronic mastitis and reducing its presence on the AMS dairy farm.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Bonestroo
- DeLaval International AB, Gustaf De Lavals väg 15, 147 21 Tumba, Sweden; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Dep't Clinical Sciences, POB 7054, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden; Wageningen University and Research, Business Economics Group, Hollandseweg 1, 6706 KN Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Nils Fall
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Dep't Clinical Sciences, POB 7054, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Henk Hogeveen
- Wageningen University and Research, Business Economics Group, Hollandseweg 1, 6706 KN Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Ulf Emanuelson
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Dep't Clinical Sciences, POB 7054, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Mariska van der Voort
- Wageningen University and Research, Business Economics Group, Hollandseweg 1, 6706 KN Wageningen, the Netherlands
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Chard L. Got milk? How AI, lab techniques and automation could help you get more. Biotechniques 2021; 70:239-242. [PMID: 34009026 DOI: 10.2144/btn-2021-0037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Revolutionary techniques to improve dairy herd health and making them globally accessible could improve the sustainability of food production in the dairy farming industry.
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