Characterization of Mycoplasmas isolated from pneumonic lungs of sheep and goats

Fifty Mycoplasma strains were recovered from pneumonic lungs of sheep and goats from Cotonou abattoirs. Biochemically, Mycoplasma strains from sheep were divided into four groups namely: (A) eight strains which hydrolysed glucose and reduced tetrazolium chloride; (B) four strains which hydrolysed glucose, digested serum, reduced tetrazolium chloride and showed phosphatase activity; (C) four strains which hydrolysed glucose, reduced tetrazolium chloride and weakly digested serum; (D) two strains which catabolised arginine. They were serologically identified as follows: group A, M. ovipneumoniae; group B, M. mycoides subspecies mycoides LC; group C, M. capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae and group D, M. arginini, respectively. In goats, biochemically, Mycoplasma strains were divided into four groups namely: (A) fourteen strains which hydrolysed glucose, digested serum, reduced tetrazolium chloride and showed phosphatase activity; (B) six strains which hydrolysed glucose, reduced tetrazolium chloride, digested serum and catabolised arginine; (C) six strains which hydrolysed glucose, reduced tetrazolium chloride and weakly digested serum; (D) six strains which catabolised arginine. They were serologically identified as follows: group A, M. mycoides subspecies mycoides LC; group B, M. capricolum subsp. capricolum; group C, M. capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae and group D, M. arginini, respectively. In this study, histopathological findings suggestive of CCPP, characterized by oedema mixed with fibrin fluid and inflammatory cells, mainly polymorphonuclear neutrophils and lymphocytes in the alveolar spaces and interstitial septae, were encountered in the pneumonic lungs of sheep and goats from Cotonou, Republic of Benin. The need to combat mycoplasmal pneumonia in Africa cannot be overemphasized because of the serious threat it constitutes to livestock industry. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.