In the dairy chain Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is assumed to be the most important causative organism of subclinical mastitis and originator of food poisoning outbreaks. Its high biodiversity is characterized by host specificity and its ability to adapt. In this context, the incidence of MRSA in the clinical area is most characteristic. The present work discusses the methodical difficulties of isolation and epidemiology, as well in the control of this pathogen in dairy herds. For long term studies phage typing has shown to be indispensable and to be a sufficiently discriminative method. The reduction of S. aureus in phage group IV from over 60 % to less than 20 % over the past 40 years is closely correlated with a significantly increased variability regarding the egg-yolk reaction, haemolysis and the morphology of colonies, causing difficulties in the isolation of the pathogen. The transmission of S. aureus in dairy herds can significantly be attributed to the lack of disinfection of the machinery between the milking of individual cows.      «

In the dairy chain Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is assumed to be the most important causative organism of subclinical mastitis and originator of food poisoning outbreaks. Its high biodiversity is characterized by host specificity and its ability to adapt. In this context, the incidence of MRSA in the clinical area is most characteristic. The present work discusses the methodical difficulties of isolation and epidemiology, as well in the control of this pathogen in dairy herds. For long term...     »