Determination of milk and blood concentrations of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein in cows with naturally acquired subclinical and clinical mastitis.

Blood and milk concentrations of the acute phase protein lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) were evaluated in cows with naturally occurring mastitis. Blood and milk samples were collected from 101 clinically healthy dairy cows and 17 dairy cows diagnosed with clinical mastitis, and the LBP concentrations of the samples were measured by an ELISA. Concentrations of LBP were greater in the blood and milk of cows with clinical mastitis than in those with healthy quarters. Concentrations of LBP also differed between uninfected and subclinically infected quarters with low somatic cell count. Blood concentrations of LBP in cows with subclinical intramammary infections could not be differentiated from those of cows with all healthy quarters. Together, these data demonstrate that increased blood and milk concentrations of LBP can be detected in dairy cows with naturally acquired intramammary infections that cause clinical mastitis.