Which animal?
Cattle
Which organ system?
Udder, respiratory system, joints
How do you recognize it?
The most common diseases caused by Mycoplasma bovis in adult cattle are mastitis, joint inflammation and pneumonia. Mastitis as a result of mycoplasma occurs regularly in the United Kingdom. Mycoplasma behaves like a cow-bound germ and cow-to-cow infections occur during milking. It is one of the few causes of mastitis that can reach the udder via the bloodstream, which explains why several quarters are usually inflamed. It first presents in the acute form, where milk production will drop and the milk will become abnormal. In the absence of treatment, the mastitis will become chronic, with a chronically elevated cell count and an intermittent character. This form is usually difficult to cure.
The joint inflammation often occurs acutely and severely (standing on three legs). Often the fetlock joint or the front knee is affected.
Mycoplasma can also cause primary pneumonia in adult cattle, but this is uncommon. Other bacteria (particularly Pasteurella multocida, Mannheimia haemolytica and Histophilus somnus) may also be involved as causative agents.
In young cattle, M. bovis mainly causes pneumonia and joint inflammation (polyarthritis). The pneumonia occurs acutely and often causes serious complaints. Animals have a fever, cough, shortness of breath, emaciation and depression. It can occur at any age, but usually around 2 to 6 weeks of age. Animals with joint inflammation have warm, swollen and painful joints and have difficulty standing. Often the fetlock joint or the front knee are affected, but several inflamed joints at the same time is also possible.
What other symptoms are there?
A middle ear infection is occasionally found in young cattle, which manifests itself in a tilted head. In cows, mycoplasma can infect the uterus, resulting in endometritis with consequent fertility problems. In bulls it can affect the testis resulting in poor sperm quality.
What risk factors are there?
The purchase of animals is the biggest risk factor for introducing Mycoplasma into the farm. Insufficient hygiene during milking is a risk factor for spreading the bacteria from cow to cow and developing mastitis. Feeding mastitis milk to calves poses a risk of infecting young stock.
What does this condition mean for the farmer and the company?
Because Mycoplasma bovis is very contagious, there is a good chance that an infected animal will cause an outbreak by transferring the bacteria during milking. Infected animals often react badly to antibiotics. That is why removing infected animals is often the best solution. In addition, tracing infected animals is important in order to remove the source of infection. This can be done by taking milk samples and testing them. Growing the bacteria is difficult because it requires a special growth medium and special growth conditions and can take up to a week. Blood tests are also possible.
How can you prevent the condition?
Strict hygiene during milking is important to prevent (transfer of) mycoplasma. Wearing gloves during milking, disinfecting teats before and after milking and disinfecting teat liners are important hygiene measures. To prevent joint inflammation in young stock, general hygiene around parturition, good colostrum supply and navel disinfection are especially important.
How can you treat the condition?
Mycoplasma is difficult to treat. The bacterium has no cell wall and is therefore insensitive to antibiotics that act on the cell wall. In addition, the bacteria can evade the animal's immune system. The bacteria, on the other hand, is sensitive to disinfectants. In case of joint inflammation, antibiotic therapy should be applied with anti-inflammatory drugs for support. To date, no vaccine has been registered
Alternative names.
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Keywords
Mycoplasma bovis, M. bovis
Sources
L.W. George et al. Rebhun's Diseases of Dairy Cattle. 2nd ed. 2008. p-327-394.
Animal Health Service, ''Mycoplasma,'' accessed August 4, 2021.
Animal Health Service, ''Mycoplasma (MYC),'' accessed August 4, 2021.
Lysnyansky, Inna, and Roger D. Ayling. "Mycoplasma bovis: mechanisms of resistance and trends in antimicrobial susceptibility." Frontiers in microbiology 7 (2016): 595.
Maunsell, F. P., et al. "Mycoplasma bovis infections in cattle." Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 25.4 (2011): 772-783.
Nicholas, R. A. J., and R. D. Ayling. "Mycoplasma bovis: disease, diagnosis, and control." Research in veterinary science 74.2 (2003): 105-112.
T. J. Parkinson. Veterinary Reproduction and Obstetrics. 10th ed. 2019. p. 434-466.
R.F. Rosenbusch. Food Animal Practice. 5th ed. 2009. p. 192-194.