Isolates of Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides (SC) in small ruminants in Sahel zone of Nigeria and its implications on disease control

Abstract

A study on the isolation of Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides (SC) in small ruminants and its implication on disease control was carried out in the Sahel zone of Nigeria. This was achieved by the examination of pneumonic lesions in apparently normal and affected lungs of sheep and goats slaughtered at Maiduguri municipal abattoir. A total of 400 lungs (200 each from sheep and goats) were examined at post-mortem (PM) for pneumonic lesions. Of this number, 50 (25%) sheep had pneumonic lungs, while almost double the number 89 (44.5%) of goats showed pneumonic lungs. The prevalence of pneumonic lungs in the sheep was higher amongst the females (34.3%) than the males (23%), while in the goats, the prevalence was higher in the males (48%) compared to the females (38.7%) examined. Seven different Mycoplasma species were isolated from both unaffected and affected lungs of sheep and goats. 42 isolates were obtained from 150 unaffected sheep samples, whilst 36 isolates were obtained from 50 affected sheep. Of the 111 unaffected and 89 affected caprine lung samples, a total of 55 and 66 Mycoplasma isolates were recovered respectively. The commonly occurring Mycoplasmas in both unaffected and affected lungs of sheep and goats were Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (30%), Mycoplama mycoides subspecies capri (29.5%), Mycoplama mycoides subspecies mycoides SC (13.5%) and Mycoplasma capricolum (11.5%) with Mycobacterium bovis (1.5%) being the least isolated. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of the occurrence of Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides SC the causative agent of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) in cattle in small ruminants (sheep and goats) in Nigeria. Although the isolation rate of M. bovis was low in this study, its isolation in non-bovine ruminants is significant as it shows evidence of mycoplasma circulation between various animal species reared in close contact. These findings may pose serious impediments to the control of endemic CBPP in Nigeria.

Common Infectious and Parasitic Diseases in Goats of Tropical Africa and their Impacts on Production Performance: A Review

“…A pooled estimate of CCPP prevalence of 23.21% in tropical Africa was reported by Ahaduzzaman (2021), including 21.87% in Ethiopia, 47.22% in Kenya, 8.06% in Mauritius, 3.70% in Nigeria, and 37.13% in Tanzania. In a study carried out in Nigeria concerning the separation of Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies Mycoides in small ruminants, Egwu et al (2012) detected various strains of mycoplasma in the lungs of both sheep and goats, whether they were affected by the condition or not. The identified strains encompassed Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (30%), Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies capri (29.5%), Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides (13.5%), Mycoplasma capricolum (11.5%), with the least frequently isolated being Mycobacterium bovis (1.5%).…”