Cellular response of the bovine mammary gland after Weissella confusa infusion to control Streptococcus agalactiae

Background: the use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as a potential therapeutic agent to control bovine mastitis was previously proposed. However, little is known about the cellular response of the bovine mammary gland in cattle infected with Streptococcus agalactiae and treated with LAB. Objective: to assess the cellular response by the mammary gland in lactating cows after infection with Streptococcus agalactiae followed by infusion with Weissella confusa as antibacterial treatment. Methods: healthy udder quarters of lactating cows were infected with S. agalactiae (10(7) cfu/mL). After 24 h of pathogen infusion, 50% of the quarters were infused with 109 cfu/mL of W. confusa (SW) and the remaining 50% were kept as control units (S). At days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, and 14 post-infusion of the pathogen, the clinical signs of mastitis and the degree of cellular response by the mammary gland were evaluated using the California mastitis test, somatic cell count, electrical conductivity, and differential leukocyte count in milk. Results: the SW quarters showed clinical inflammation of the mammary gland associated with a significant increase in somatic cell count, California mastitis test, electrical conductivity and high proportion of polymorphonuclear neutrophils. The results suggest that the infusion with W. confusa cells induced a higher cellular immune response in the bovine mammary gland than S. agalactiae alone. Conclusions: results indicate that W. confusa infusions for controlling S. agalactiae should not be adopted. However, the activation mechanism of somatic cells in the mammary gland needs to be elucidated.