The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a herd specific vaccine against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) by different inoculation route, IMI (intramammary injection), Koso, and supramammary lymphnode area. Based on strains of S. aureus from a case of acute clinical mastitis in Daekwanryeong farm, two experimental vaccines were made, inactivated vaccine and sonicated one. To determine the antigen concentration of the vaccine, 220 ICR-mice were immunized by the intraperitoneal route with inactivated or sonicated experimental vaccines according to different schedules with 10 ICR mice as a control group. The sonicated vaccine was selected for further experiments in vaccination and the highest antibody titer in ELISA was observed at 3㎎/㎖ of the vaccine. The vaccine was administrated to 22 healthy cows at drying up. The quarter milk samples and bloods were collected before vaccination, right after parturition and 3 months postpartum. There were no significant differences among vaccination routes based on the antibody titers in serum and intramammary bacterial infections during drying up period. The antibody titer in serum of vaccinated cows was higher at parturition than 3 months postpartum but it had no statistical meaning, though decreased clinical signs and morbidity were observed. Results of this study suggest that the concept of the vaccine against S. aureus is to decreasing clinical mastitis rather than preventing the disease.

A total of 222 udder-half milk samples of lactating goats were collected from two herds in Korea during 2008 and all samples were subjected to bacteriological examination. Somatic cell counts (SCC) were also determined for all samples except for 13 (5.9%), which were collected from halves of udders with clinical mastitis. A total of 85 bacteria were isolated from 82 (36.9%) of 222 milk samples tested. Staphylococci were the predominant pathogens, accounting for almost 70% of the isolates: Coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS) and S. aureus constituted 55% (47/85) and 14.1% (12/85), respectively. Among 209 samples tested for SCC, bacteria were isolated from 36 of 115 (31.3%) samples with SCC of <1×106 cells/㎖ and 38 of 94 (40.4%) samples that had SCC of ≥1×106 cells/㎖, respectively. All S. aureus were detected from samples with SCC of ≥1×106 cells/㎖, while 25 of 47 (61.0%) CNS were isolated from milk samples with SCC of <1×106 cells/㎖. Mean SCC of milk samples that harbored S. aureus and CNS was 4,787×103 cells/㎖ and >1×106 cells/㎖, respectively. All S. aureus and CNS isolates were susceptible to all antimicrobials tested except for penicillin, to which 2 (16.6%) S. aureus and 12 (25.5%) CNS isolates showed resistance.