# A Study on the Changing Law of Bacterial Communities in the Milk of Bactrian Camels with Subclinical Mastitis

## TL;DR

This study explores how bacterial communities in Bactrian camel milk change with subclinical mastitis, identifying new bacterial genera and regional differences.

## Contribution

The study identifies Delftia as a novel bacterial genus in camel milk and reveals regional differences in bacterial abundance due to subclinical mastitis.

## Key findings

- Subclinical mastitis causes genus-level changes in Bactrian camel milk microbiota.
- Delftia was first identified in camel milk, mainly in Jimunai County.
- Mastitis alters bacterial abundance and diversity in milk from different regions.

## Abstract

Subclinical mastitis is a critical disease affecting camel health and milk quality. However, research on shifts in milk bacterial communities following subclinical mastitis in camels is limited. We evaluated changes in bacterial communities following subclinical mastitis in Bactrian camels. Three portions of California Mastitis Test (CMT)-negative milk and five portions of CMT-positive milk were collected from each Jimunai County and Keping County using the CMT, and the bacterial community composition of the camel milk was analyzed using amplicon sequencing of the v34 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Subclinical mastitis induced genus-level differences in the core bacterial microbiota of Bactrian camel milk. To our knowledge, Delftia was identified in camel milk for the first time, predominantly in Jimunai County. Bacterial abundance in camel milk from Keping County was increased and altered. Alpha diversity analysis revealed that subclinical mastitis induced lower and higher bacterial abundance in milk from Jimunai County and Keping County, respectively, compared to that of healthy camels. Therefore, these findings provide direction for future research on pathogenic microorganisms for the prevention and control of subclinical mastitis in Bactrian camels.