The U.K. epidemiology and strategies for the management of disease caused by streptococcus agalactiae - Essay Example

Mastitis induced by S. agalactiae can be transmitted to other cows and is therefore considered as being contagious. The infection thus circulates its presence from one cow to another cow as well as during milking through milking machine, hands of milker, and towels used during the process. Thus, the UK administration for prevention of spread of S. agalactiae concentrates its attention on the adoption of good means of cleaning for milking process. And also, the isolation of cows suffering from S.

agalactiae is considered crucial. Streptococcus agalactiae also called as group B Streptococcus is one of the commonest cause of invasive disease in neonates in UK (Public Health Laboratory Services, 2002) and USA (Schuchat, 1999). It is being considered as an emerging pathogen in the elderly (Henning, et al., 2001). Maternal sepsis is one of the inscribed side effects of S. agalactiae. The S. agalactiae can however, be isolated from the genitourinary and gastrointestinal tracts. In the descriptive epidemeology of S.

agalactiae, capsular stereotyping is one of the mainstays. In total nine capsular stereotypes have been described by the scientific contribution to this essential field of attention. The capsular stereotypes that have been brought to the platform of knowledge include Ia, Ib, and II to VIII. Amongst these, the stereotype III S. agalactiae strain is crucial for understanding since it holds the base of reason for the causation of majority of infections, including meningitis. (Schuchat, 1998). The diverse lineage of stereotype III strains that varies in the pathogen potential can be distinguished with the aid of pulsed field gel electrophoresis (Rolland, et al., 1999), enzyme electrophoresis (Hauge, et al.

, 1996, Quentin, et al., 1995), and restriction digest pattern (Bohnsack, et al. 2001). Though the S. agalactiae caused disease are well documented in infants and during pregnancy, the epidemiology of the patients infected with this bacterium is experiencing a change by inclusion within its area of attention non-pregnant and elderly adults (Diekema, et al., 2003; Farley, et al., 1993; Farley, 2001; Murdoch, & Reller, 2001; Sambola, 2002; Tyrrell, 2000). It is important to note here a point of great relevance that S.

agalactiae remains fully susceptible to penicillin , antibiotic susceptibility surveys present increasing prevalence of resistance to clindamycin and erythromycin (Heelan, et al., 2004; Wu, 1997). The herds representative of S. agalactiae mastitis frequently have DHIA weighted somatic cell counts that are significantly greater than its normal value. Thus, we might state that cows' with S. agalactiae mastitis have elevated somatic cell counts but normal milk. The cow during the presence of disease can progress from sub clinical to clinical state.

In this case the milk becomes abnormal and udder swelling takes place. Therefore, in order to diagnosis S. agalactiae, the bulk tank is used. The treatment options that exist include intramammary treatment using penicillin type drugs. The two important therapeutic options available for herd mangers are "blitz therapy" . In this treatment option S. agalactiae is attempted to get cured by using penicillin type intramammary antibiotic tube of three milking. The second option of prominent existence is to culture and treat all cows that are diagnosed with S.

agalactiae.