Prevalence of microbial causes of bovine mastitis in the Kabete area of Kiambu County and its environs (2001-2010)

Abstract

A total of 2880 milk samples collected from the Kabete region of Kiambu County and its environs between 2001 and 2010 were submitted to the Central Veterinary laboratory, Kabete, and Clinical Studies Department  Bacteriology laboratory of the University of Nairobi for isolation and identification of mastitis causing microorganisms. Of these, 2678 (93%) yielded microorganisms, whereas 202 (7%) had no demonstrable microbial growth. Staphylococcus species (31.7%), Escherichia coli (17.2%), Streptococcus species (10.3%), Klebsiella species (9.7%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (7.6%), Bacillus species (4.8%) and Arcanobacterium pyogenes
(4.1%), were the most prevalent bacterial isolates, whereas the yeast, Candida albicans (6.3%) was the main cause of mycotic mastitis in this region.