MYCOPLASMA AGALACTIAE SUBSP BOVIS IN PNEUMONIA AND ARTHRITIS OF BOVINE

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 41  (1) , 89-94
Abstract
Pneumonic lungs of 42 cattle from 26 feedlots were examined for mycoplasmas, pathogenic bacteria and viruses. Four animals representative of 2 lots failed to yield mycoplasmas; 1 yielded infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus and Pasteurella haemolytica, the other yielded only P. multocida. In 8 lots 9 animals yielded Mycoplasma spp: 5 were M. bovirhinis, 2 were M. arginini and 2 were untypable. All animals yielded .gtoreq. 1 of P. haemolytica, P. multocida, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus or bovine virus diarrhea virus. Of 29 animals, 25 in 16 lots yielded M. agalactiae spp. bovis from lung tissues. The same organism was recovered from the arthritic joints of 12 of these animals. Of the 25 animals, 8 yielded no other pathogen and all had received no treatment. Of the 25 M. agalactiae ssp. bovis positive animals, 9 also yielded .gtoreq. 1 of P. haemolytica, P. multocida, Corynebacterium pyogenes or infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus. Bacteriological and virological studies were not completed for the remaining 8 of the 25 positive animals. In 5 lots of cattle which received no medication for pneumonia and arthritis only M. agalactiae ssp. bovis was recovered. Grossly normal lungs (25) obtained from normal cattle at the time of slaughter were cultured and all were negative. The possible role of M. agalactiae ssp. bovis in pneumonia and arthritis was discussed.