Mycoplasmosis

What is mycoplasmosis/mycoplasma?

Mycoplasmas are small, wall-less bacteria which cause disease in all major species of animals, including man. They are members of the class Mollicutes which also includes acholeplasmas, ureaplasmas and spiroplasmas.

Clinical signs

Image of gazelles

In farm animals, mycoplasmas can cause:

  • respiratory disease,
  • mastitis,
  • arthritis,
  • genital disease, and
  • eye lesions.

The most important of these diseases are:

  • contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP)
  • contagious agalactia (CA)
  • contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP).

However, these are not present in Britain.

In Britain infections caused by Mycoplasma bovis in cattle, M. gallisepticum in chickens and M. hyopneumoniae in pigs result in considerable economic loss.