Detection of mastitis pathogens by analysis of volatile metabolites

K. A. Hettinga*, H. J F Van Valenberg, T. J G M Lam, A. C M Van Hooijdonk

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterProfessional

    Abstract

    The possibility to detect mastitis pathogens based on their volatile metabolites was studied. The 5 most important mastitis pathogens in the Netherlands (Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococci, Streptococcus uberis, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, and Escherichia coli) were used in this study. Using a neural network, mastitis causing pathogens were identified based on the produced pattern of volatile metabolites. The source of the metabolites is unknown; they can be formed by the pathogens, but they can also be formed by enzymes coming from e.g. the blood of the cow. By inoculating milk of healthy cows with mastitis pathogens, the formation of volatile metabolites by bacteria in milk could be separated from possible other sources of metabolite formation. In general, most metabolites were found in similar concentration in both type of samples. However, some metabolites (mainly ethyl esters of free fatty acids) were not found in inoculated samples, probably due to lack of enzyme activity related to the cows' blood. It was concluded that volatile bacterial metabolites could be used for pathogen identification, and that the metabolites were mostly formed by the pathogen and are not the result of the mastitis process in the udder.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationMastitis Control: From Science to Practice
    PublisherWageningen Academic
    Pages199-203
    Number of pages5
    ISBN (Print)9789086860852
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2008

    Keywords

    • Diagnosis
    • Neural network
    • Pathogens
    • Volatile metabolites

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