Characteristics of Enterotoxigenic Coagulase Positive Staphylococci Isolated from Bovine Milk in Cases of Subclinical Mastitis

Coagulase positive staphylococci are the most common cause of bovine subclinical mastitis. The goal of this study was to investigate if isolates from milk in cases of mastitis synthesize enterotoxins and express resistance to methicillin. A total of 50 strains of coagulase positive staphylococci were tested using immunoassay ELFA technique. Ten isolates were enterotoxin positive and RealTime PCR was used to identify genes encoding enterotoxins and methicillin resistance. One isolate carried the enterotoxin B encoding gene, but none were positive for the methicillin resistance gene. All isolates were confirmed as Staphylococcus aureus biochemically and by PCR.