Global Immunization Vision and Strategy (GIVS): a mid-term analysis of progress in 50 countries.

Within the overall framework set out in the Global Immunization Vision and Strategy (GIVS) for the period 2006-2015, over 70 countries had developed comprehensive Multi-Year Plans (cMYPs) by 2008, outlining their plans for implementing the GIVS strategies and for attaining the GIVS Goals at the midpoint in 2010 or earlier. These goals are to: (1) reach ≥90% and ≥80% vaccination coverage at national and district level, respectively; and (2) reduce measles-related mortality by 90% compared with the 2000 level. Fifty cMYPs were analysed along the four strategic areas of the GIVS: (1) protecting more people in a changing world; (2) introducing new vaccines and technologies; (3) integrating immunization, other health interventions and surveillance in the health system context; and (4) immunizing in the context of global interdependence.

Efficacy of a teat dip containing the bacteriocin lacticin 3147 to eliminate Gram-positive pathogens associated with bovine mastitis.

On most dairy farms teat dips are applied to the teats of cows either before or after milking in order to prevent pathogens from gaining access to the mammary gland via the teat canal. In the present experiments, a natural teat dip was developed using a fermentate containing the live bacterium Lactococcus lactis DPC 3251. This bacterium produces lacticin 3147, a two-component lantibiotic which was previously shown to effectively kill Gram-positive mastitis pathogens.

Molecular genetic typing reveals further insights into the diversity of animal-associated Staphylococcus aureus.

Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogen of man, but is also able to colonize and cause disease in a wide variety of mammals and birds. An extended multilocus sequencing approach, involving multilocus sequence typing (MLST), sas typing, spa typing and agr typing, was used to examine the molecular diversity of 118 S. aureus isolates recovered from a range of host species and to compare these data with the known diversity of human-derived isolates.

Administration of a live culture of Lactococcus lactis DPC 3147 into the bovine mammary gland stimulates the local host immune response, particularly IL-1beta and IL-8 gene expression.

Mastitis is one of the most costly diseases to the dairy farming industry. Conventional antibiotic therapy is often unsatisfactory for successful treatment of mastitis and alternative treatments are continually under investigation. We have previously demonstrated, in two separate field trials, that a probiotic culture, Lactococcus lactis DPC 3147, was comparable to antibiotic therapy to treat bovine mastitis.

Intramammary infusion of a live culture for treatment of bovine mastitis: effect of live lactococci on the mammary immune response.

In the accompanying article, we demonstrated that a live culture of Lactococcus lactis compares favourably with antibiotics for treatment of bovine mastitis in two initial field trials. In an effort to explain the mechanism involved, this study investigated the effect of culture administration on the local immune response. In this respect we initially observed that infusion of the live culture Lactococcus lactis stimulated substantial recruitment of polymorphonucleocytes (PMN) and lymphocytes to the udder.

Intramammary infusion of a live culture of Lactococcus lactis for treatment of bovine mastitis: comparison with antibiotic treatment in field trials.

A treatment containing a live food-grade organism, Lactococcus lactis DPC3147, was compared with conventional antibiotic therapy for its potential to treat bovine chronic subclinical or clinical mastitis in two separate field trials. Effects on disease symptoms and bacteriology were monitored in response to infusion with the culture in each trial. In the first trial, the live culture treatment was compared with an intramammary antibiotic (n=11 quarters for each treatment).

Occurrence of ssl genes in isolates of Staphylococcus aureus from animal infection.

The occurrence of 7 of the 11 known ssl genes that are found within the vSaalpha genomic island of Staphylococcus aureus and encode the novel Ssl family of exoproteins was examined in isolates from cows (42 isolates), goats (4 isolates), sheep (1 isolate), rabbits (3 isolates) and chickens (2 isolates). Based on seven S. aureus genome sequences for human strains NCTC 8325, N315, Mu50, COL, MRSA 252, MW2 and MSSA-476, and bovine strain RF122, along with the ssl reference gene sequences from strains NCTC 6571, FRI326 and NCTC 8325, ClustalW-generated alignments were used to design PCR primers for unique regions of the ssl genes that are present in the allelic variants of each, except for the ssl4 gene for which specific primers for the set2 and set9 allelic variants were designed individually.

Interdependence and distribution of subclinical mastitis and intramammary infection among udder quarters in dairy cattle.

The objective of the present study was to determine the distribution of subclincial mastitis and intramammary infection (IMI) across udder quarters and to quantify, if any, the level of interdependence between quarters. Subclinical mastitis was defined as an udder quarter somatic cell count of > or =250,000. Intramammary infection was defined as the presence of pathogens in an udder quarter.

The lantibiotic lacticin 3147 produced in a milk-based medium improves the efficacy of a bismuth-based teat seal in cattle deliberately infected with Staphylococcus aureus.

A preparation of the bacteriocin lacticin 3147 (prepared from a demineralized whey protein fermentation liquor) was combined as a powder with a bismuth-based intramammary teat seal and evaluated for its potential as an antimicrobial in non-lactating cows. The lacticin/teat seal formulation enabled significant bacteriocin release from the seal without the requirement for a surfactant. Studies in vivo in lactating cows demonstrated that this formulation was effective in reducing bacterial recoveries (approximately 20-fold) from teats deliberately inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus after infusion.

Superantigen genes encoded by the egc cluster and SaPIbov are predominant among Staphylococcus aureus isolates from cows, goats, sheep, rabbits and poultry.

In recent years several new staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) have been described, which currently have largely unknown frequencies of occurrence and roles in human or animal disease. One hundred and ninety-one Staphylococcus aureus isolates from cows (99), goats (39), sheep (23), rabbits (15), chickens (15) and a cat (1) were screened for SE genes sea-see, seg-seo and seq and for the tst gene encoding staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 using multiplex PCRs and individual PCRs for the seb and sek genes. One hundred and ten isolates tested positive for at least one of these 16 superantigen (SAg)-encoding genes.

Dry cow therapy with a non-antibiotic intramammary teat seal - a review.

: Dry cow antibiotic therapy is used to eliminate existing intramammary infections and to prevent new infections in the dry period. It is implemented as part of a total management system known as the 'Five-Point Plan' for mastitis control. Recent public concerns over the widespread prophylactic use of antibiotics, coupled with an increasing interest in organic farming, have lead to a re-evaluation of the treatment of cows at drying-off.

Update on the development of a novel dry cow therapy using a bismuth-based intramammary teat seal in combination with the bacteriocin lacticin 3147.

: Public concerns over the widespread prophylactic use of antibiotics have led to a search for alternatives to dry cow therapy for the prevention of intramammary infections. A popular alternative is to infuse a teat seal at drying-off. The teat seal is a viscous non-antibiotic formulation and when it is infused into the teat canal and the teat sinus it forms an internal seal that provides a physical barrier to invasion by mastitis-causing pathogens.

Heterogeneity of proteolytic enzyme activities in milk samples of different somatic cell count.

Milk contains the alkaline proteinase plasmin and lysosomal proteinases; the significance of the latter is ill-defined. The objective of this study was to investigate composition and activities of several different proteolytic enzymes in milk samples of varying somatic cell count (SCC). Increasing milk SCC was correlated with increased plasmin, cathepsin D and cysteine protease activities, with concomitant increases in proteolysis in milk.

Effect of frequency of milking on yield, composition and processing quality of milk.

The objective was to determine the effect of once-daily milking (ODM) and omitting one evening milking each week (13TWM), in late lactation on milk production, composition and processability. Seventy-two cows were assigned to three treatments (ODM, 13TWM and twice-daily milking [TDM]) from 4 October to 12 December. Cows were on average 218 d into lactation at the start of the trial, and all cows were managed similarly throughout the trial.