Staphylococcus aureus genotype B and other genotypes isolated from cow milk in European countries

A Cosandey; R Boss; M Luini; K Artursson; M Bardiau; F Breitenwieser; E Hehenberger; Th Lam; M Mansfeld; A Michel; G Mösslacher; J Naskova; S Nelson; O Podpečan; A Raemy; E Ryan; O Salat; P Zangerl; A Steiner; H U Graber

doi:10.3168/jds.2015-9587

Staphylococcus aureus genotype B and other genotypes isolated from cow milk in European countries

J Dairy Sci. 2016 Jan;99(1):529-40. doi: 10.3168/jds.2015-9587. Epub 2015 Nov 14.

Authors

A Cosandey¹, R Boss², M Luini³, K Artursson⁴, M Bardiau⁵, F Breitenwieser⁶, E Hehenberger⁷, Th Lam⁸, M Mansfeld⁹, A Michel⁷, G Mösslacher¹⁰, J Naskova², S Nelson¹¹, O Podpečan¹², A Raemy⁷, E Ryan¹³, O Salat¹⁴, P Zangerl¹⁵, A Steiner⁷, H U Graber¹⁶

Affiliations

¹ Agroscope, Institute for Food Sciences (IFS), Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, 3003 Berne, Switzerland; Clinic for Ruminants, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Berne, Bremgartenstrasse 109a, PO Box 8466, 3001 Berne, Switzerland.
² Agroscope, Institute for Food Sciences (IFS), Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, 3003 Berne, Switzerland.
³ Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Via Einstein, 26900 Lodi, Italy.
⁴ Department of Bacteriology, National Veterinary Institute, SE-751 89 Uppsala, Sweden.
⁵ Bacteriology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Avenue de Cureghem 6, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
⁶ Milchprüfring Baden-Württemberg e. V., Marie-Curie-Strasse 19, 73230 Kirchheim/Teck, Germany.
⁷ Clinic for Ruminants, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Berne, Bremgartenstrasse 109a, PO Box 8466, 3001 Berne, Switzerland.
⁸ GD Animal Health, Arnsbergstraat 7, PO Box 9, 7400 AA Deventer, the Netherlands.
⁹ Carinthian Institute for Veterinary Disease Control, Kirchengasse 43, 9020 Klagenfurt, Austria.
¹⁰ Animal Health Organisation Upper Austria, Bahnhofplatz 1, 4021 Linz, Austria.
¹¹ Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Ullevalsvn 72, PO Box 8146 Dep, N-0033 Oslo, Norway.
¹² Ambulatory Clinic for Large Animals, University of Ljubljana, Veterinary Faculty, Gerbičeva ul. 60, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
¹³ School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
¹⁴ Veterinary Clinic of Haute Auvergne, Allauzier, 15100 Saint Flour, France.
¹⁵ Federal Institute for Alpine Dairying BAM, 6200 Jenbach, Austria.
¹⁶ Agroscope, Institute for Food Sciences (IFS), Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, 3003 Berne, Switzerland. Electronic address: hansulrich.graber@agroscope.admin.ch.

PMID: 26585469
DOI: 10.3168/jds.2015-9587

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is globally one of the most important pathogens causing contagious mastitis in cattle. Previous studies, however, have demonstrated in Swiss cows that Staph. aureus isolated from bovine intramammary infection is genetically heterogeneous, with Staph. aureus genotype B (GTB) and GTC being the most prominent genotypes. In addition, Staph. aureus GTB was found to be contagious, whereas Staph. aureus GTC and all the remaining genotypes were involved in individual cow disease. The aim of this study was to subtype strains of Staph. aureus isolated from bovine mastitic milk and bulk tank milk to obtain a unified view of the presence of bovine staphylococcal subtypes in 12 European countries. A total of 456 strains of Staph. aureus were subjected to different typing methods: ribosomal spacer PCR, detection of enterotoxin genes, and detection of gene polymorphisms (lukE, coa). Major genotypes with their variants were combined into genotypic clusters (CL). This study revealed 5 major CL representing 76% of all strains and comprised CLB, CLC, CLF, CLI, and CLR. The clusters were characterized by the same genetic properties as the Swiss isolates, demonstrating high clonality of bovine Staph. aureus. Interestingly, CLB was situated in central Europe whereas the other CL were widely disseminated. The remaining 24% of the strains comprised 41 genotypes and variants, some of which (GTAM, GTBG) were restricted to certain countries; many others, however, were observed only once.

Keywords: Europe; Staphylococcus aureus; bovine intramammary infection; genotyping; virulence gene.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Cattle
Enterotoxins / genetics
Europe
Female
Genotype
Mastitis, Bovine / microbiology*
Milk / microbiology*
Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology
Staphylococcal Infections / veterinary*
Staphylococcus aureus / genetics*
Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification

Substances

Enterotoxins