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Immunity to Mastitis. A Review

Department of Large Animal Medicine, Obstetrics and Surgery, New York State Veterinary College, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850
and C. W. Post College, Long Island University, Greenvale, New York 11548

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Several reviews of early studies of immunity to mastitis have been compiled, but lack of controlled experiments and adequate identification of antigens used in vaccination tend to make these first reports of only historical interest. To comprehend the problems and difficulties involved in attaining an immune state in the bovine against the various forms of mastitis, the following factors should be understood:

1. Mastitis is caused by several groups of pathogens—staphylococci, streptococci, coli-forms, and several others of lesser importance. In addition, several of these groups have a very large number of species and types within species. For example, the streptococci that cause mastitis are largely of Lancefield Group B and to a lesser extent Groups C and E. Group B contains only Streptococcus agalactiae; however, there are at least five types (41) of this species. The staphylococci are considerably more complicated, having many more strains and types. None of these appear to give cross immunity; thus, we have a very large number of antigens involved in this problem.