Mastitis, an inflammation of mammary tissue frequently associated with infection, is a prevalent disease among dairy animals. Bacterial intra-mammary infection is identified as a primary cause of bovine mastitis (BM). In dairy cattle, antimicrobials are used for mastitis treatment during the lactating phase and for dry cow therapy. Although self-curing can occur, the success of mastitis treatment depends on several factors, including the type of bacteria responsible for the infection, the effectiveness of the administered antibiotics, and the host's overall immune response. Moreover, the growing resistance of microorganisms to antibiotics has restricted the available treatment options for managing intramammary infections. In addition, the utilization of critically essential antimicrobials in animals raised for food production may elevate the risk of human infections that are challenging to treat. Therefore, it is crucial to have alternative treatments with equivalent or superior effectiveness as part of any stewardship program. These may include the application of nanotechnology, stem cell technology, photodynamic and laser radiation or the use of traditional herbal medical plants, nutraceuticals, antibacterial peptides, bacteriocins, antibodies therapy, bacteriophages, phage lysins, and probiotics as alternatives to antibiotics. This review aims to discuss the potential of vaccination as an indirect strategy, along with nanotechnology, probiotics, stem cell therapy, antimicrobial peptides, photodynamic therapy, laser irradiation, and antibody treatments as direct approaches. These approaches are examined as possible alternative therapeutic options to antibiotic treatment for BM.
Keywords: Alternative treatments; Antibiotic resistance; Bovine mastitis; Vaccination.
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