Streptococcus dysgalactiae
Strep sector (streptococci), small colonies of green to greenish-blue color.
The source of Streptococcus dysgalactiae is usually milk from an infected cow. Streptococcus dysgalactiae survives on the skin of the udder, in small cracks of the skin, but also on the vaginal mucosa, on the tonsils, in the fetal membranes during abortion, in a contaminated uterus. The bacteria have a strong affinity for the mammary gland and can adhere to the walls of the udder's duct systems and survive here for many weeks. Infection by Streptococcus dysgalactiae is facilitated by a concurrent infection of the mammary gland with mycoplasmas.
The disease typically goes on subclinically, but can also develop into acute mastitis with severe disruption of overall health.
