Longitudinal Patterns in the Isolation and Antimicrobial Resistance of Bovine Mastitis-Causing Bacteria in Ireland

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Bovine mastitis remains a challenge for the Irish dairy industry. This study aimed to explore the seasonality and antimicrobial resistance of mastitis pathogens obtained by the regional laboratories (RVL) of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine...

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Main Authors: Amalia Naranjo-Lucena, Philip Becker, Gillian Madigan, Rebecca Cupial, Brian Byrne, Alan Johnson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Antibiotics
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/3/243
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author Amalia Naranjo-Lucena
Philip Becker
Gillian Madigan
Rebecca Cupial
Brian Byrne
Alan Johnson
author_facet Amalia Naranjo-Lucena
Philip Becker
Gillian Madigan
Rebecca Cupial
Brian Byrne
Alan Johnson
author_sort Amalia Naranjo-Lucena
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background/Objectives</b>: Bovine mastitis remains a challenge for the Irish dairy industry. This study aimed to explore the seasonality and antimicrobial resistance of mastitis pathogens obtained by the regional laboratories (RVL) of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. <b>Methods</b>: Seasonality of isolation of the most common bacterial species and antimicrobial resistance of those species repeatedly obtained in the same herds in different years were explored using the RVL diagnostic data. Additionally, whole genome sequencing (WGS) was employed to establish the persistency of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> strains within the same herd. <b>Results</b>: A clear seasonality was observed in the isolation of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, <i>Streptococcus uberis</i>, and <i>Escherichia coli</i> from milk. Seasonal differences were statistically significant within and between bacterium. Persistence of resistance within herds was highest in <i>S. aureus</i> against penicillin (35.5% of herds) and in <i>S. uberis</i> against pirlimycin (14% of herds), while <i>E. coli</i> did not show persistence of resistance to any antimicrobials. Sequencing of <i>S. aureus</i> isolates revealed that the strains causing mastitis in ten out of twenty-one herds were similar genetically in different years. In seven of these herds, <i>S. aureus</i> was persistently resistant to penicillin. Isolates from two different herds were practically identical and carried the human immune evasion cluster genes (IEC, <i>scn</i>, <i>sak</i>, <i>chp</i> and <i>sea</i>) suggesting a recent human-bovine host switch event. <b>Conclusions</b>: These findings underscore the importance of implementing targeted biosecurity measures and monitoring programs to mitigate the spread of mastitis-causing pathogens and enhance antimicrobial stewardship in the Irish dairy industry, while it also highlights the significance of including a One Health perspective in surveillance programs.
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spelling doaj-art-72c142a490b140bf97ad1f6b812e5b272025-08-20T02:11:25ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822025-02-0114324310.3390/antibiotics14030243Longitudinal Patterns in the Isolation and Antimicrobial Resistance of Bovine Mastitis-Causing Bacteria in IrelandAmalia Naranjo-Lucena0Philip Becker1Gillian Madigan2Rebecca Cupial3Brian Byrne4Alan Johnson5National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Backweston Laboratory Campus, W23 VW2C Celbridge, IrelandNational Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Backweston Laboratory Campus, W23 VW2C Celbridge, IrelandNational Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Backweston Laboratory Campus, W23 VW2C Celbridge, IrelandFood Microbiology Division, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Backweston Laboratory Campus, W23 VW2C Celbridge, IrelandFood Microbiology Division, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Backweston Laboratory Campus, W23 VW2C Celbridge, IrelandRegional Veterinary Laboratory, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Knockalisheen, V94 WK4 Limerick, Ireland<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Bovine mastitis remains a challenge for the Irish dairy industry. This study aimed to explore the seasonality and antimicrobial resistance of mastitis pathogens obtained by the regional laboratories (RVL) of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. <b>Methods</b>: Seasonality of isolation of the most common bacterial species and antimicrobial resistance of those species repeatedly obtained in the same herds in different years were explored using the RVL diagnostic data. Additionally, whole genome sequencing (WGS) was employed to establish the persistency of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> strains within the same herd. <b>Results</b>: A clear seasonality was observed in the isolation of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, <i>Streptococcus uberis</i>, and <i>Escherichia coli</i> from milk. Seasonal differences were statistically significant within and between bacterium. Persistence of resistance within herds was highest in <i>S. aureus</i> against penicillin (35.5% of herds) and in <i>S. uberis</i> against pirlimycin (14% of herds), while <i>E. coli</i> did not show persistence of resistance to any antimicrobials. Sequencing of <i>S. aureus</i> isolates revealed that the strains causing mastitis in ten out of twenty-one herds were similar genetically in different years. In seven of these herds, <i>S. aureus</i> was persistently resistant to penicillin. Isolates from two different herds were practically identical and carried the human immune evasion cluster genes (IEC, <i>scn</i>, <i>sak</i>, <i>chp</i> and <i>sea</i>) suggesting a recent human-bovine host switch event. <b>Conclusions</b>: These findings underscore the importance of implementing targeted biosecurity measures and monitoring programs to mitigate the spread of mastitis-causing pathogens and enhance antimicrobial stewardship in the Irish dairy industry, while it also highlights the significance of including a One Health perspective in surveillance programs.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/3/243mastitisseasonalityantimicrobial resistanceOne Health
spellingShingle Amalia Naranjo-Lucena
Philip Becker
Gillian Madigan
Rebecca Cupial
Brian Byrne
Alan Johnson
Longitudinal Patterns in the Isolation and Antimicrobial Resistance of Bovine Mastitis-Causing Bacteria in Ireland
Antibiotics
mastitis
seasonality
antimicrobial resistance
One Health
title Longitudinal Patterns in the Isolation and Antimicrobial Resistance of Bovine Mastitis-Causing Bacteria in Ireland
title_full Longitudinal Patterns in the Isolation and Antimicrobial Resistance of Bovine Mastitis-Causing Bacteria in Ireland
title_fullStr Longitudinal Patterns in the Isolation and Antimicrobial Resistance of Bovine Mastitis-Causing Bacteria in Ireland
title_full_unstemmed Longitudinal Patterns in the Isolation and Antimicrobial Resistance of Bovine Mastitis-Causing Bacteria in Ireland
title_short Longitudinal Patterns in the Isolation and Antimicrobial Resistance of Bovine Mastitis-Causing Bacteria in Ireland
title_sort longitudinal patterns in the isolation and antimicrobial resistance of bovine mastitis causing bacteria in ireland
topic mastitis
seasonality
antimicrobial resistance
One Health
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/3/243
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AT gillianmadigan longitudinalpatternsintheisolationandantimicrobialresistanceofbovinemastitiscausingbacteriainireland
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