Prevalence of hemoplasma infection among cattle in the western part of Japan

J Vet Med Sci. 2011 Dec;73(12):1653-5. doi: 10.1292/jvms.11-0269. Epub 2011 Jul 29.

Abstract

We have examined for hemoplasma infection among cattle in the Hiroshima and Miyazaki prefectures by using a sensitive real-time PCR, with SYBR Green I and with melting curve analysis, which allow to distinguish the two bovine hemoplasma species, Mycoplasma wenyonii and 'Candidatus M. haemobos'. We found 69.4% of 36 cattle in Hiroshima and 93.8% of 32 cattle in Miyazaki infected with either of these two hemoplasma species. High morbidity in western part of Japan may reflect the activity of arthropod vectors for hemoplasma transmission. We also demonstrated neonatal calves less than three months old affected with hemoplasmas without grazing in summer, suggesting a possibility of vertical transmission.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Arthropod Vectors / microbiology
  • Arthropod Vectors / physiology
  • Arthropods
  • Cattle
  • Cattle Diseases / epidemiology
  • Cattle Diseases / microbiology*
  • Cattle Diseases / transmission
  • Female
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical
  • Japan / epidemiology
  • Mycoplasma / classification*
  • Mycoplasma Infections / epidemiology
  • Mycoplasma Infections / transmission
  • Mycoplasma Infections / veterinary*
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / veterinary