Rösler U, Hensel A
Institut für Tierhygiene und Offentliches Veterinärwesen, Universität Leipzig.
Dtsch Tierarztl Wochenschr. 2003 Sep;110(9):374-7.
Protothecosis is a severe form of mastitis in dairy cows caused by colorless algae of the genus Prototheca. Since P. zopfii is highly resistant to all known chemotherapeutics, infected cows must be removed from the herd. Eradication measures are difficult since many chronically infected cows may become intermittent shedders. Therefore, cultural methods are insufficient for control measures. In order to eradicate Prototheca zopfii-mastitis in dairy cattle herds, two isotype specific indirect ELISA for detection of IgA and IgG1 in whey were used in a dairy herd highly affected with protothecal mastitis. All cows (n = 313) were tested four times in intervals of six months. Milk specimens were examined in parallel by cultivation and serologically using two indirect ELISA systems for specific IgA and IgG1 in whey. Cows tested Prototheca positive were consequently separated from the herd and slaughtered. At the first examination, 15.6% of the animals were found positive by culture, and 23.3% were positive in at least one of the ELISA systems. Within two years, protothecal prevalence and incidence decreased to zero indicating that the eradication strategy used was successful. In summary, serological identification of P. zopfii-infected lactating cows is an useful tool to eradicate protothecal bovine mastitis in infected herds.
原壁菌病是由原壁菌属无色藻类引起的奶牛乳腺炎的一种严重形式。由于魏氏原壁菌对所有已知化疗药物具有高度抗性，感染的奶牛必须从牛群中移除。根除措施很困难，因为许多慢性感染的奶牛可能会间歇性排菌。因此，培养方法不足以用于控制措施。为了根除奶牛群中的魏氏原壁菌乳腺炎，在一个受原壁菌乳腺炎严重影响的奶牛群中，使用了两种用于检测乳清中IgA和IgG1的同型特异性间接ELISA。所有奶牛（n = 313）每隔六个月检测四次。同时通过培养检查牛奶样本，并使用两种用于检测乳清中特异性IgA和IgG1的间接ELISA系统进行血清学检测。检测出原壁菌呈阳性的奶牛随后被从牛群中分离并屠宰。在第一次检查时，15.6%的动物通过培养呈阳性，23.3%在至少一种ELISA系统中呈阳性。两年内，原壁菌的流行率和发病率降至零，表明所采用的根除策略是成功的。总之，对感染魏氏原壁菌的泌乳奶牛进行血清学鉴定是根除感染牛群中原壁菌性牛乳腺炎的有用工具。
