Kinetics of acute phase proteins in streptococcal and staphylococcal mastitis in cows

Acute phase proteins (APPs) have been used as biomarkers of inflammation, infection and trauma in veterinary medicine over recent years. In dairy cattle, haptoglobin and a mammary-associated serum amyloid A3 isoform, produced by the inflammed mammary gland during mastitis, have great potential as biomarkers of this economically important disease. The major organisms responsible for clinical and subclinical mastitic infections belong to Staphylococcaceae and Streptococcaceae families. The objective of present study was to investigate the milk and serum kinetics of two acute phase protein in cattle with clinical and subclinical mastitis caused by staphylococci and streptococci. Out of 181 culturally positive quarters, staphylococci and streptococci were found to be predominant organisms accounting for 67.19% and 31.21%, prevalence, respectively. As compared to normal animals, significant increase was observed in concentrations of both the acute phase proteins in milk and serum of cows with staphylococcal or streptococcal clinical and subclinical mastitis.