Some Studies on Mycoplasma Affections in Sheep and Goats

Abstract

The present study includes some epidemiological aspects of Mycoplasma infection in Egyptian sheep and goats with recording of different clinical signs and post mortem lesions, isolation of different Mycoplasma species then using of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for typing of these isolates, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of some isolates using amplified protein products of S16 gene, detecting different antimicrobial activity against isolated Mycoplasma species by using MIC test and disc diffusion method and also experimental infection in goats with M. conjunctivae. A total of 437 samples were collected from different ages, sexes, breeds, and in different seasons from sheep and goats (303 sheep and 134 goats), from different localities in Giza governate, the samples were examined bacteriologically for detection the isolation rate of different Mycoplasma species. Samples collected from living animals as (nasal swab, ocular swab, bronchial wash and milk samples) and from dead or slaughtered animals as (lung tissue and tracheal bifurcation). Samples collected from animals suffering from different respiratory manifestations including fever (40-42 °C) with dullness and depression, nasal and ocular discharge (from mucoid to purulent nasal discharge), coughing, severe respiratory stress with dyspnea, abnormal chest sounds with auscultation and from animals suffers from eye affections; ocular discharge (from mucoid to purulent), keratoconjunctivitis with sever congestion in conjunctiva, unilateral or bilateral corneal opacity (temporary or permanent) with blindness in some cases and also milk samples were collected from animals suffers from mastitis; changes in udder were recorded as cardinal signs of inflammation (hotness, redness, edema, and pain with palpation) also changes in color of udder to bluish coloration and hard texture were observed, changes in milk were also recorded as serous watery milk, granular milk, milk tinged with blood.