Open Veterinary Journal, (2026), Vol. 16(7): 4098-4100

Letter to the Editor

10.5455/OVJ.2026.v16.i7.1

Caprine mastitis and its impact from a One Health perspective

Janaína dos Santos Nascimento*

Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

*Corresponding Author: Janaína dos Santos Nascimento. Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Email: janaina.nascimento [at] ifrj.edu.br

Submitted: 16/03/2026 Revised: 22/05/2026 Accepted: 02/06/2026 Published: 01/07/2026

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ABSTRACT

Caprine mastitis represents a significant challenge to dairy goat production, adversely affecting animal health, milk quality, and farm profitability. Beyond its economic impact, the disease constitutes a relevant concern within the One Health framework, given the potential involvement of zoonotic pathogens, the dissemination of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, and the risks associated with the consumption of raw or inadequately processed milk. Additionally, psychrotrophic microorganisms originating from mastitic milk may potentially compromise the technological quality of dairy products through the production of thermostable enzymes capable of degrading proteins and lipids. Therefore, effective control of caprine mastitis requires the implementation of integrated management strategies, continuous microbiological surveillance, and the prudent use of antimicrobials throughout the production chain.

Keywords: Antibiotic resistance, Dairy goat farming, Foodborne pathogens, Subclinical infection.

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Dear Editor,

Mastitis is widely recognized as one of the most economically important diseases affecting dairy production systems worldwide. It is defined as an inflammatory condition of the mammary gland, usually caused by microbial infection, leading to alterations in milk composition and glandular tissue (Contreras et al., 2007). In dairy goats, mastitis remains a significant health challenge, affecting animal health, milk quality, productivity, and public health, highlighting this disease as not only a production disease but also a neglected One Health issue (Ebissy et al., 2024). This Letter to the Editor highlights caprine mastitis as an underrecognized One Health issue by discussing its epidemiological relevance, zoonotic implications, antimicrobial resistance concerns, and current diagnostic and control challenges in dairy goat production systems.

Although less extensively investigated than bovine mastitis, the disease is widely distributed in goat herds, particularly in its subclinical form. This silent presentation hampers early diagnosis and facilitates the persistence and spread of intramammary infections within herds, resulting in considerable economic losses and raising broader concerns related to food safety and public health. Recent evidence indicates an overall prevalence of approximately 36%, with a predominance of subclinical cases (Tibebu et al., 2025). In addition, the frequent and sometimes inappropriate use of antimicrobials in goat production has contributed to the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacterial strains, thereby increasing sanitary and epidemiological risks (Aragão et al., 2021). Environmental stress and climate variability may also influence mastitis prevalence and pathogen dynamics in dairy goat production systems (Tibebu et al., 2025).

From a public health perspective, caprine mastitis is particularly relevant within the One Health framework, which recognizes the interconnectedness between animal, human, and environmental health (Rizzo et al., 2022; Pinho et al., 2025). The presence of pathogens, bacterial toxins, and antimicrobial resistance determinants in raw or inadequately processed goat milk may contribute to foodborne diseases and represents an important route of zoonotic transmission, particularly in regions where the informal commercialization and consumption of unpasteurized dairy products are common practices. Pathogens frequently associated with mastitic milk, including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes, may pose significant public health risks due to their pathogenic potential, toxin production, and ability to harbor antimicrobial resistance genes. In addition, the dissemination of multidrug-resistant bacteria through the dairy production chain represents an additional and growing threat to human health, potentially contributing to therapeutic failures and the spread of resistance determinants across the food chain (Lima et al., 2025; Tibebu et al., 2025).

Recent studies have suggested that dairy production environments may act as reservoirs of microorganisms with high antimicrobial resistance potential, facilitating their circulation among animals, the environment, and humans through direct animal contact, contaminated milking equipment, dairy products, water sources, and farm environments (Rizzo et al., 2022; Pinho et al., 2025). In this context, inadequate sanitary management practices, poor milking hygiene, and indiscriminate antimicrobial use may favor the selection and spread of resistant microorganisms along the dairy production chain.

Furthermore, bacterial isolates belonging to the ESKAPE group (Enterococcus faecium, S. aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp.) have been reported in goat milk samples, reinforcing the epidemiological relevance of these pathogens in the context of public health (Ramos and Nascimento, 2019; Mohamed et al., 2022; Tanaka et al., 2022). This group comprises clinically important multidrug-resistant pathogens frequently associated with hospital-acquired infections and recognized for their ability to “escape” antimicrobial therapy, and their presence in animal production systems highlights the need for integrated surveillance strategies, including microbiological monitoring of milk and the rational use of antimicrobials.

Beyond sanitary and epidemiological implications, mastitis may also contribute to indirect economic losses associated with milk spoilage and deterioration of dairy products. Several microorganisms associated with mastitic milk exhibit psychrotrophic characteristics and are capable of producing thermostable enzymes that remain active even after heat treatment, which may potentially compromise the quality and shelf life of refrigerated dairy products (Qin et al., 2023; Monareng et al., 2025).

Therefore, addressing caprine mastitis from a One Health perspective is essential for the development of integrated control strategies. These strategies should include improved management practices, hygiene protocols, regular herd monitoring, selective culling of chronically infected animals, farmer education, microbiological surveillance of milk, monitoring of antimicrobial resistance, and the implementation of prudent antimicrobial use policies in animal production systems.

Despite advances in the understanding of caprine mastitis, important knowledge gaps remain regarding the epidemiological dynamics of the disease, particularly in extensive production systems and in regions with limited sanitary monitoring. Some studies report a high prevalence of the disease, predominantly in its subclinical form, and highlight the circulation of diverse bacterial pathogens, especially Staphylococcus spp., as well as important limitations related to diagnostic standardization, which hinder data comparability and epidemiological interpretation (Giagu et al., 2022; Tibebu et al., 2025). For example, in goats, the interpretation of somatic cell counts may be particularly challenging due to the apocrine mode of milk secretion, which naturally increases cell counts in milk (Contreras et al., 2007). In addition, the role of emerging microorganisms in the etiology of intramammary infections and the potential of goat milk as a reservoir of antimicrobial resistance genes still require further investigation. Molecular and proteomic approaches, including polymerase chain reaction, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry, and whole-genome sequencing, may further improve pathogen identification and epidemiological surveillance.

The development of more sensitive and standardized diagnostic protocols, as well as integrated prevention and control strategies, remains a major challenge for both scientific research and the dairy production sector. In this context, caprine mastitis should be incorporated into One Health surveillance strategies, particularly through microbiological monitoring, antimicrobial resistance surveillance, and the prudent use of antimicrobials, aiming to protect animal health, food safety, and public health.

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