Experimental infection of bovine mammary gland with prototheca zopfii genotype 1.

Prototheca zopfii is divided into three genotypes, one of which, P. zopfii genotype 2, appears to be the main causative agent of bovine protothecal mastitis. However, the difference in pathogenicity between genotypes 1 and 2 has not been well investigated. In the present study, we experimentally infected normal bovine mammary gland with P. zopfii genotype 1 to investigate its pathogenicity. The mammary gland infected with P. zopfii genotype 1 showed no clinical signs. However, the histopathologic features of the infected mammary gland consisted of interstitial infiltrates of macrophages, plasma cells, lymphocytes, and fibroblasts with neutrophils in acinar lumens. Algae were present in macrophages and free in the alveolar lumens and the interstitium. Histopathology of the resultant tissue samples revealed that genotype 1 also induced a granulomatous lesion in the cow teat, similar to the mastitis lesion due to genotype 2.