Abstract

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The study was conducted to determine the occurrence of fungal agents associated with clinical mastitis (CM) in Red Sokoto does (RSD) at the Sokoto livestock market and their antifungal susceptibility pattern. A total of 71 RSD was identified and examined for mastitis. Milk samples were collected for fungal isolation, identification and antifungal susceptibility testing. Thirty-one (43.66%) of the RSD were clinically mastitic. There was more bilateral mastitis 24(77.4%) than unilateral 6(19.4%) and trilateral 1(3.2%) mastitis. RSD ≥ 4 years were the major age group with CM, followed by ≥ 3 - <4 years with 5 mastitic RSD. Only 2(6.5%) RSD had teat injury, while information on parity, onset of condition and type of management system were not available. Seven (22.6%) RSD had fungal agents, although 17 fungal isolates comprising 5(29.4%) each of Aspergillus niger and Fusarium chlamydosporum were isolated. In addition, 4 (23.5%) isolates of Histoplasma capsulatum and 1(5.9%) each of Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans were isolated from the clinically mastitic does. The antifungal susceptibility showed that amphotericin was effective against A. niger, Fusarium chlamydosporium, H. capsulatum and A. fumigatus, but C. albicanss and C. neoformans were resistant. A. niger, F. chlamydosporium and H. capsulatum were susceptible to fluconazole, while A. fumigatus, C. albicanss and C. neoformans were resistant. Only A. niger, H. capsulatum and A. fumigatus were susceptible to nystatin, while all the fungi isolated were resistant to terbinafine and Voriconazole. The study demonstrates high frequency of fungal agents in RSD with clinical mastitis.

Keywords: Antifungal susceptibility, Clinical mastitis, Fungal agent, Livestock market