); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (E.G.-K.)  
Ewalecka  
2 Department of Food Hygiene and Consumer Health, Wrodeaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 31 C.K. Norwid St., 50-375 Wrodeaw, Poland; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (E.W.-Z. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (J.B.)  
Ewalecka  
1 Department of Microbiology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Ludwik. Rydyger Collegeum Medicum, 9 M. Sklodowskiej-Curie Street, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (K.G.-B. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (N.W.-K.); [PERSON]@pczta.onetp1 (A.K. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (E.G.-K.)  
[PERSON]  
1 Department of Microbiology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Ludwik. Rydyger College Medicum, 9 M. Sklodowskiej-Curie Street, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (K.G.-B. ); natalia12127@gmail. individual quarters and bulk tanks. As required under The European Union Regulation 853/2004 [6], the SCC in raw milk must not exceed 400,000 cells/mL (based on a rolling geometric average over 3 months, with at least one sample per month). The United States has a limit of 500,000 cells/mL for consumption in the country [7]. The second step in mastitis control is the assessment of bacteriological aspects of the disease. The milk sample should be taken aseptically into a sterile container and transported to the laboratory as soon as possible. The disease might decrease fertility, negatively affect milk quality and milk yield, and lead to animal culling, thereby being the main reason for economic losses [8]. The major causes of mastitis are bacterial and fungal infections. The source of bacteria might be milkers' hands, udder cloths, milking machines, and the environment (bedding, manure, and water). According to the European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA) report, the factors most frequently contributing to BM are insufficient hygiene of the litter and the milking machines [9]. Over 150 bacterial species responsible for udder inflammation were identified [10]. The pathogens most commonly isolated from cows with mastitis are coagulase-negative, coagulase-positive staphylococci, and environmental streptococci [11]. Additionally, _E. coli_ accounts for many cases of bovine mastitis. _E. coli_ is a Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacterium. _E.coli_ is a natural resident of soil and cow's intestine. The bacterium is also prevalent in manure, water, and bedding. _E. coli_ is the most common cause of clinical mastitis in well-managed dairy herds, with a low number of somatic cells in the milk [12,13]. _E. coli_ does not colonize the laciferous gland but persists in the teat canal and mammary gland cistern. The intensification of clinical symptoms in acute mastitis is mostly associated with endotoxin LPS (lipopolysaccharide) [13]. An important therapeutic problem is the antibiotic resistance of _E.coli_. One of the resistance mechanisms in _E. coli_ is the production of the enzyme extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL). ESBLs are known to hydrolyze all penicillin, early cephalosporporins, oxyimino-cephalosporins, and monobactams, but lack any hydrolytic activity to cepamycins and carbapenemems. ESBLs are inhibited by beta-lactamase inhibitors such as clavulanic acid, taxobactam, and substam [14]. Our previous study [15] showed that teat cups, contaminated during milking might contribute to the transmission of bacteria to cow's udders and finally to the milk. It was found that this phenomenon might affect at least several successively milked animals. This was also confirmed a study [16] that found that improper hygiene of teat cups could cause transmission of _Staphylococcus_ spp. both between the animals and to the milk tank. One way to minimalize the risk of BM is an efficient teat predisposing and postdipping, aiming to destroy the microorganisms on the udder skin and in a drop of the milk of the teat canal [17]. Dipping agents commonly applied for teat disinfection are iodine and its derivatives, and chlorhexidine. Another important aspect is the treatment of an infected animal with antibiotics.