Abstract
BackgroundThe significance of hemotrophic mycoplasma in cattle remains unclear. Especially in Europe, their epidemiological parameters as well as pathophysiological influence on cows are lacking. The objectives of this study were: (1) to describe the prevalence of ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemobos’ (‘C. M. haemobos’) and Mycoplasma wenyonii (M. wenyonii) in Bavaria, Germany; (2) to evaluate their association with several blood parameters; (3) to explore the potential of vertical transmission in Simmental cattle; and (4) to evaluate the accuracy of acridine-orange-stained blood smears compared to real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results to detect hemotrophic mycoplasma. A total of 410 ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-blood samples from cows from 41 herds were evaluated by hematology, acridine-orange-stained blood smears, and real-time PCR. Additionally, blood samples were taken from dry cows of six dairy farms with positive test results for hemotrophic mycoplasma to investigate vertical transmission of infection.ResultsThe period prevalence of both species was 60.24% (247/410), C. M. haemobos 56.59% (232/410), M. wenyonii 8.54% (35/410) and for coinfection 4.88% (20/410). Of the relevant blood parameters, only mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell hemoglobin (MCH), and white blood cell count (WBC) showed differences between the groups of infected and non-infected individuals. There were lower values of MCV (P < 0.01) and MCH (P < 0.01) and higher values of WBC (P < 0.05) in ‘C. M. haemobos’-infected cows. In contrast, co-infected individuals had only higher WBC (P < 0.05). In M. wenyonii-positive blood samples, MCH was significantly lower (P < 0.05). Vertical transmission of ‘C. M. haemobos’ was confirmed in two calves. The acridine-orange-method had a low sensitivity (37.39%), specificity (65.97%), positive predictive value (63.70%) and negative predictive value (39.75%) compared to PCR.Conclusions‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemobos’ was more prevalent than M. wenyonii in Bavarian Simmental cattle, but infection had little impact on evaluated blood parameters. Vertical transmission of the infection was rare. Real-time PCR is the preferred diagnostic method compared to the acridine-orange-method.
Highlights
The significance of hemotrophic mycoplasma in cattle remains unclear
Due to the limited information of the infection in Bavarian cattle, the objectives of this study were (1) determine the prevalence of ‘C. M. haemobos’ and M. wenyonii in Bavarian Simmental cattle, (2) evaluate the association of infection with hematological parameters, (3) evaluate the likelihood of transplacental transmission, and (4) evaluate the accuracy of detecting hemotrophic mycoplasma by acridine-orange-stained blood smears compared to real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results
Each blood sample was analyzed for erythrocyte count (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), mean cell volume (MCV), red blood cell distribution width (RDW), mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), mean cell hemoglobin (MCH), reticulocyte (Retic), platelet as well as white blood cell count (WBC) by automatic blood cell counter (IDEXX ProCyte Dx; IDEXX GmbH, Ludwigsburg, Germany)
Summary
The significance of hemotrophic mycoplasma in cattle remains unclear. Especially in Europe, their epidemiological parameters as well as pathophysiological influence on cows are lacking. M. haemobos’) and Mycoplasma wenyonii (M. wenyonii) in Bavaria, Germany; (2) to evaluate their association with several blood parameters; (3) to explore the potential of vertical transmission in Simmental cattle; and (4) to evaluate the accuracy of acridine-orangestained blood smears compared to real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results to detect hemotrophic mycoplasma. Blood samples were taken from dry cows of six dairy farms with positive test results for hemotrophic mycoplasma to investigate vertical transmission of infection. Infection with bovine leukemia virus was unlikely to be a risk factor Both hemotrophic mycoplasmas have been described to be transmitted either horizontally by insects or vertically/transplacentally [13, 17, 18]. Cattle in indoor housing and cattle aged 1–3 years seem to be more likely to get infected than pasture-based or older cattle, respectively [6]
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