Is Klebsiella pneumoniae -associated bovine mastitis an emerging public health issue? A One Health perspective

ABSTRACT Bovine mastitis is a major driver of antimicrobial use and economic loss in dairy farming. Although long overshadowed by Escherichia coli , Klebsiella pneumoniae is now increasingly recognized as a key cause of moderate to severe clinical mastitis worldwide. Its persistence in farm environments, adaptation to dairy production systems, and intrinsic antimicrobial resistance contribute to poor therapeutic outcomes, high death rate, and substantial animal welfare impacts. Beyond veterinary relevance, K. pneumoniae is a leading human pathogen central to the global antimicrobial resistance crisis. Genomic analyses reveal a substantial overlap among environmental, animal, and human Klebsiella populations. Although hypervirulent lineages remain rare in cattle, their potential emergence warrants surveillance. This perspective highlights K. pneumoniae mastitis as an emerging One Health challenge requiring enhanced surveillance and targeted control strategies.