Survey of mycotic mastitis in dairy cows from Heilongjiang Province, China

A survey of the prevalence rate, pathogenic subspecies, and risk factors of mycotic mastitis in dairy cows from Heilongjiang Province, China, was conducted. Milk samples from 412 cows with chronic mastitis were collected and cultured on 8 % sheep blood agar, MacConkey agar, and Sabouraud agar with chloramphenicol. Counting of the morphologically distinct colonies was performed, as well as the isolation and identification of organisms through phenotypical and physiological criteria. Four hundred seventy-eight aerobic microorganisms were isolated. Yeasts and yeast-like fungi 35.6 % (170/478) and bacteria 64.4 % (308/478) were isolated. The fungal isolates were identified as Candida (79.4 %), Trichosporon (5.9 %), Aspergillus (7.1 %), Cryptococcus (2.4 %), and Rhodotorula (4.1 %). More than ten species of yeast were isolated including Candida krusei 50/135 (37 %), Candida rugosa 16/135 (11.9 %), and Candida lusitaniae 15/135 (11.1 %). A higher positivity (18.5 and 56.3 %) (P ≤0.05) was observed in cows from environmental temperatures of 0–15 and 15–35 °C than those at <0 °C and in cows affected by the disease for >45 and 30–45 days compared with cows suffering 10–30 days. Meanwhile, a statistically significant difference (44.9 vs. 31.4 %) (P ≤0.05) was observed under extensive raising systems vs. intensive raising systems. It appears that Candida is a major pathogen of mycotic mastitis of dairy cows. Extensive raising system, high environmental temperature (15–35 °C), and the duration of the disease (>30 days) were important risk factors of the incidence of mycotic mastitis. Here, we provide a theoretical foundation for research into preventing and treating mycotic mastitis of dairy cows in China.