Mycoplasma agalactiae: The Sole Cause of Classical Contagious Agalactia?

A recent commentary by Migliore at al. (2021) recommends that contagious agalactia (CA) should only be diagnosed and confirmed when M. agalactiae is detected either by isolation or molecular methods. The other three mycoplasmas classically associated with CA (M. mycoides subsp. capri, M. capricolum subsp. capricolum and M. putrefaciens) should removed from the OIE Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines in Terrestrial Animals and associated sources.

Summary

For over thirty years, contagious agalactia has been recognized as a mycoplasma disease affecting small ruminants caused by four different pathogens: Mycoplasma agalactiae, Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri, Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum and Mycoplasma putrefaciens which were previously thought to produce clinically similar diseases. Today, with major advances in diagnosis enabling the rapid identification by molecular methods of causative mycoplasmas from infected flocks, it is time to revisit this issue. In this paper, we discuss and argue the reasons to support Mycoplasma agalactiae infection as the sole cause of contagious agalactia.

Migliore S, Puleio R, Nicholas RAJ, Loria GR. Mycoplasma agalactiae: The Sole Cause of Classical Contagious Agalactia? Animals. 2021; 11(6):1782. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11061782

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Mycoplasma bovis Infections: Occurrence, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Control, Including Prevention and Therapy

A special issue of Pathogens

Dear Colleagues,

Mycoplasma bovis is known as an etiological agent for many disorders in cattle, among which the most important are bronchopneumonia, mastitis, and arthritis. M. bovis infections are a serious economic and cattle health and welfare problem worldwide. M. bovis affects different age groups of cattle, and it can persist in a herd for very long period of time. Moreover, in vitro studies on M. bovis field isolates show increasing trends in antimicrobial resistance. Currently, no commercial vaccines against M. bovis are available in Europe, and only some autogenous vaccines are used in parts of Europe and the United States. The Special Issue will cover all aspects of M. bovis infections, such as pathogenesis, diagnosis and control, including therapy and prevention. The Special Issue will consist of reviews, as well as original manuscripts.  

Dr. Katarzyna Dudek
Dr. Ewelina Szacawa
Guest Editors

Mycoplasmology: the big issues

logo oatSome  of  the  most  important  diseases  of  livestock  are  caused  by  mycoplasmas. The article by Nicholas et al., published in Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Veterinary Science provides a comprehensive overview of some of the important issues in animal mycoplasmology:

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