Bovine mastitis (BM) is a highly prevalent bacterial infection that causes significant economic losses in the dairy industry. Its pathogenesis involves the recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns by Toll-like receptors (TLRs, primarily TLR2 and TLR4) and the subsequent activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway. Emerging evidence highlights the critical role of the gut microbiota in regulating BM through the "gut-mammary axis." Gut dysbiosis reduces microbial diversity, impairs the intestinal barrier, and promotes endotoxemia or translocation of metabolites, such as LPS (lipopolysaccharide) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which modulate mammary inflammation. Traditional antibiotic therapy is increasingly limited by resistance and residues, necessitating alternative approaches: targeting the gut microbiota through probiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), or plant-derived active components offers promising strategies to restore microbial balance, enhance intestinal barrier function, and suppress excessive inflammation, thereby providing novel avenues for the prevention and treatment of BM.
Zhu et al. (Fri,) studied this question.