See also Porcine enzootic pneumonia

Mycoplasma infections cause a wide range of clinical conditions, particularly among pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, and poultry. Certain mycoplasmas are part of normal mucosal flora, and can outgrow pathogenic mycoplasmas in broth culture procedures.

In general, special media is required for growth of mycoplasmas. Some mycoplasmas are slow growing, taking up to 3 weeks to appear in primary culture or in subcultures.

Avoid submission of swabs for mycoplasmal culture. Swab materials can be toxic to mycoplasmas if left in contact for extended periods.

Diagnosis

Pigs

1. Culture of some pathogenic mycoplasma species can be undertaken using media specific for pig mycoplasmas
2. Identification of M. hyopneumoniae in lung tissues or nasal swabs by PCR
3. Identification of M. hyopneumoniae herd infection by ELISA serology

Note:
M. hyorhinis is a common inhabitant of the URT and ears (Eustachian tube), and is a common co-inhabitant of pneumonic lungs. It has no pneumonic potential and can rapidly overgrow M. hyopneumoniae cultures. It can cause a serofibrinous polyserositis, or fibrinous arthritis in suckers or weaners less than 10 weeks old. It produces a milder, more sporadic disease than Glasser's disease, and can occasionally affect young adults.
(DD: Glasser's disease, Streptococcus suis, Erysipelas).

M. hyosynoviae causes synovitis and arthritis
(DD: Erysipelas; M. hyorhinis polyserositis of young pigs; Glasser's disease polyserositis or respiratory disease; Pasteurella spp synovitis; Streptococcus suis purulent arthritis or polyserositis; other Streptococci causing purulent arthritis with percutaneous infections/abrasions; leg weakness/osteochondrosis)

Cattle, sheep and goats

1. Culture of affected tissue/s

Mycoplasma spp bovine Group 7 is a frequent cause of polyarthritis in calves. It can also cause outbreaks of bovine mastitis and abortion. This organism is readily cultured, and is occasionally cultivable on blood agar cultures without special mycoplasmal media. Other Mycoplasma spp are associated with bovine mastitis, eye lesions, reproductive lesions, and caprine and ovine arthritis, mastitis and pneumonia.

Specimens required

Pigs

1. Serum (or heparin plasma) samples for M. hyopneumoniae ELISA
2. Fresh chilled or frozen lung for M. hyopneumoniae PCR (1 cm³)
3. Nasal swab material collected into sterile PBS for M. hyopneumoniae PCR
4. Fresh chilled joint fluid or membrane for M. hyosynoviae culture and PCR
5. Fresh chilled tissues or joints affected with polyserositis/arthritis for M. hyorhinis culture (suckers, weaners) and PCR
6. Fixed lung for histopathology

Cattle, sheep, goats

1. Depending on the pathogen, fresh tissues, joint fluid, joint membrane, ocular fluid, milk for mycoplasmal culture and PCR
2. Sections of affected organs in buffered formalin for histopathology

Poultry

1. Serum for Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) and Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) antibody detection by rapid plate test

Note:
Culture for avian mycoplasmas is not routinely undertaken. Specialised services are available at some other laboratories.