When a cow or herd’s somatic cell count (SCC) jumps higher, PCR diagnostics can quickly identify which mastitis pathogen is causing the rise and help veterinarians and farmers determine a clear treatment path. 
In the case of Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis), however, which costs the U.S. and Europe an estimated €310 million ($364 million) annually, no treatment options are currently available. M. bovis can swiftly spread, making rapid diagnosis critical for the health and welfare of the herd.
The new Applied Biosystems VetMAX MastiType Micro4 and VetMAX MastiType Myco8 multiplex qPCR kits are reliable tools that accurately detect all mastitis-causing bacteria in fresh, frozen and preserved milk samples, including Mycoplasma spp. With the launch of the new real-time PCR kits, the company extends its portfolio of veterinary diagnostic tests for the detection of bovine pathogens.
The multiplex real-time PCR kits enable the detection of multiple pathogens in a single diagnostic test. VetMAX MastiType Micro4 qPCR Kit detects the four major contagious mastitis pathogens: M. bovis, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus uberis. The VetMAX MastiType Myco8 qPCR Kit detects difficult-to-culture Mycoplasma species: Mycoplasma spp., Mycoplasma alkalescens, M. bovis, Mycoplasma bovigenitalium, Mycoplasma canadense and Mycoplasma californicum, as well as Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae.
PCR Offers Actionable Results
About 40 percent of clinically abnormal milk samples tested with traditional bacterial culture come back with a “no growth” result, often leaving the farmer right where he started – with a mastitic cow and no diagnosis for accurate treatment. The VetMAX MastiType multiplex qPCR kits accurately detect mastitis-causing pathogens, allowing the veterinarian to recommend the appropriate treatment protocol and use antibiotics only when needed.
No Culturing Needed
Mycoplasma results can take up to 10 days with bacterial culturing. However, real-time PCR kits such as the new VetMAX MastiType multiplex qPCR kits as well as the VetMAX M. bovis qPCR kit, already in the Animal Health portfolio, allow diagnostic laboratories to be more efficient with typical time from sample to result in 2.5 to 3 hours. The tests enable same-day results even for Mycoplasma species, allowing farmers and veterinarians to take immediate and well-informed action.
For laboratories, the VetMAX MastiType multiplex qPCR kits come with a fast, convenient, new workflow using the MagMAX CORE nucleic acid extraction and the newest Applied Biosystems QuantStudio 5 instrumentation, utilizing cloud-based software solutions.
“The addition of the VetMAX MastiType Micro4 Kit and the VetMAX MastiType Myco8 Kit to our existing veterinary diagnostic portfolio will offer veterinarians a qPCR solution for mastitis that’s fast, easy and accurate,” said Martin Guillet, global head and general manager for AgriBusiness at Thermo Fisher Scientific. “We continue to build on our research and veterinary field experience and take another step toward delivering on our mission to enable customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer.”
For more information on Thermo Fisher’s diagnostic portfolio, please visit www.thermofisher.com/animalhealth.