Mycoplasma bovispneumonia in cattle

Abstract

Mycoplasma bovis is an important and emerging cause of respiratory disease and arthritis in feedlot cattle and young dairy and veal calves, and has a variety of other disease manifestations in cattle. M. bovis is certainly capable of causing acute respiratory disease in cattle, yet the attributable fraction has been difficult to estimate. In contrast, M. bovis is more accepted as a cause of chronic bronchopneumonia with caseous and perhaps coagulative necrosis, characterized by persistent infection that seems poorly responsive to many antibiotics. An understanding of the disease has been recently advanced by comparisons of natural and experimentally induced disease, development of molecular diagnostic tools, and understanding some aspects of virulence, yet uncertainties regarding protective immunity, the importance of genotypic diversity, mechanisms of virulence, and the role of co-pathogens have restricted our understanding of pathogenesis and our ability to effectively control the disease. This review critically considers the relationship between M. bovis infection and the various manifestations of the bovine respiratory disease complex, and addresses the pathogenesis, clinical and pathologic sequelae, laboratory diagnosis and control of disease resulting from M. bovis infection in the bovine respiratory tract.

Clinical management of parasitic gastroenteritis (PGE) concurrent with moderate pneumonia in a goat: a clinical veterinary case report

“…This condition can lead to decreased performance in goats and the occurrence is associated with poor management practices, secondary infection, stress, overcrowded pens, poor ventilation, environmental and climatic changes (Yener et al, 2009). The clinical signs of pneumonia include rise in body temperature (40-41°C), painful moist cough, dyspnoea, anorexia and depression (Caswell and Archambault, 2007). Diagnosis is based on clinical signs and pen history, physical examination via auscultation and grading the severity of pneumonia, bacterial isolation from the tracheal wash or from necropsy samples of lung tissue (Shahriar et al, 2002).…”

Mycoplasma bovis in Australian feeder cattle

“…Clinical signs are non-specific and include fever, tachypnoea, dyspnoea, decreased appetite, poor weight gain, with or without nasal discharge and coughing (Caswell and Archambault, 2007, Maunsell et al, 2011. Otitis media and or arthritis may accompany M. bovispneumonia in an individual or occur in other animals in the herd (Maunsell et al, 2011).…”

“…Natural LRT infections involving M. bovis frequently produce lung lesions characterised by caseonecrotic bronchopneumonia while experimental infections often produce milder lesions (Castillo-Alcala et al, 2012, Caswell andArchambault, 2007). Lung lesions typically have a cranioventral distribution which differs from other forms of bronchopneumonia by the presence of unique multiple coalescing round friable foci of caseous necrosis within the consolidated areas .…”

“…If shipment or storage times are anticipated to exceed 24 hrs, it has been suggested by Caswell and Archambault (2007) that the specimen be placed in a transport medium suitable for mycoplasmas and / or frozen at -70°C to help prevent any loss of viability. If microbiological examination of the sample cannot be performed immediately on arrival at the laboratory, Nicholas et al (2008) suggest storing the samples or specimens at -20°C where they may be kept for up to several months.…”

“…Because of this, research on the epidemiology, including prevalence and risk factors associated with infection is highly warranted (Caswell and Archambault, 2007, Nicholas and Ayling, 2003, Thomas et al, 2002b. The overall aim of this thesis is to provide a greater understanding of the epidemiology and to gain a better understanding of the importance of M. bovis in Australian feedlot cattle.…”