The presence of non-aureus staphylococci (NAS) in bovine rectal feces has recently been described. Similar to other mastitis causing pathogens, shedding of NAS in the environment could result in intramammary infection. The objective of this study was to investigate whether NAS strains present in feces can cause intramammary infection, likely via teat apex colonization. During a cross-sectional study in 5 dairy herds, samples were collected from the habitats quarter milk, teat apices, and rectal feces from 25%, 10%, and 25% of the lactating cows, respectively, with a cow serving as the source of one type of sample only. Samples from clinical mastitis cases were continuously collected during the 1-year study period as well. The 6 most prevalent NAS species, Staphylococcus (S.) chromogenes, S. cohnii, S. devriesei, S. equorum, S. haemolyticus, and S. hominis, were further subtyped by random amplification of polymorphic deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR), when the same NAS species was present in the same herd in the three habitats. For S. chromogenes, S. cohnii, S. devriesei, and S. haemolyticus, the same RAPD type was found in rectal feces, teat apices, and quarter milk, indicating that fecal NAS can infect the mammary gland. For S. hominis and S. equorum, we were unable to confirm the presence of the same RAPD types in the three habitats.

中文翻译：

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粪便中非金黄色葡萄球菌是牛乳内感染的潜在原因。

最近已经描述了牛直肠粪便中存在非金黄色葡萄球菌（NAS）。与其他引起病原体的乳腺炎相似，环境中NAS的脱落可能导致乳内感染。这项研究的目的是调查存在于粪便中的NAS菌株是否可能通过乳头先端定植引起乳房内感染。在对5个奶牛群的横断面研究中，分别从25％，10％和25％的泌乳母牛中，从栖息地的四分之一牛奶，奶头顶点和直肠粪便中采集了样本，其中一头母牛为来源仅一种样品。在1年的研究期内，也不断收集临床乳腺炎病例的样本。最流行的6种NAS物种有：葡萄球菌（S.）色原菌，co.ii链球菌，德氏链球菌，equequum。，溶血性链球菌和S. 当三个栖息地的同一群牛中存在相同的NAS物种时，通过随机扩增多态性脱氧核糖核酸聚合酶链反应（RAPD-PCR）将人的亚型进一步亚型化。对于发色链球菌，链球菌，德氏链球菌和溶血链球菌，在直肠粪便，奶嘴顶点和四分之一牛奶中发现了相同的RAPD类型，表明粪便NAS可以感染乳腺。对于S. hominis和S.equorum，我们无法确认三个生境中是否存在相同的RAPD类型。和四分之一牛奶，表明粪便NAS可以感染乳腺。对于S. hominis和S.equorum，我们无法确认三个生境中是否存在相同的RAPD类型。和四分之一牛奶，表明粪便NAS可以感染乳腺。对于S. hominis和S.equorum，我们无法确认三个生境中是否存在相同的RAPD类型。