Oxygen concentration in milk of healthy and mastitic cows and implications of low oxygen tension for the killing ofStaphylococcus aureusby bovine neutrophils

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Abstract
Summary: The partial pressure of O2in milk from normal cows and from cows with mastitis was measured and the concentrations of O2calculated. Oxygen levels of milk from normal cows were similar to those in venous plasma, but inflammation of the mammary gland led to a dramatic drop in O2concentration to < 10% of control values. Intracellular survival ofStaphylococcus aureusstrain M60 in bovine neutrophils was greater under anaerobic than aerobic conditions. The implications of low O2concentrations in milk from infected mammary glands for the bactericidal activity of bovine neutrophils is discussed.