Bacterial Genotype Affects the Manifestation and Persistence of Bovine<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>Intramammary Infection

Abstract

Two-hundred seventeen Staphylococcus aureus isolates from 116 dairy cows with intramammary infections were analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to study the association between symptom severity, persistence of infection, and bacterial genotype. Among five main genotypes infecting 90% of the cows, one was associated with severe clinical symptoms but reduced persistence.