Diversity of Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus strains isolated from the Spanish sheep and goat population and the identification, function and prevalence of a novel arbutin utilisation system.

The zoonotic bacterium Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus) is a diverse, opportunistic pathogen that can cause mastitis in dairy sheep and goats.