Abstract
BackgroundTwo hemoplasma species, Mycoplasma suis and M. parvum, previously known as Eperythrozoon suis and E. parvum, respectively, have been identified in pigs. Swine hemoplasmosis is a global problem, and M. suis infection results in economic losses to pig producers worldwide. This study investigated the frequency and distribution of hemotropic mycoplasmas in pig farms of Korea. As hemoplasmas can be transmitted by ticks, we also analyzed the presence of the tick-borne pathogens Anaplasma spp. and Borrelia spp.MethodsWe screened 1867 samples from 464 pig farms located in four regions of Korea over the period from 2014 to 2018. PCR-positive samples were further analyzed by nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of pathogen-specific markers for species identification.ResultsOf the 1867 pigs evaluated in the study, three (0.2%), 51 (2.7%), and one (0.1%) were found to be infected with M. suis, M. parvum, and the novel hemotropic M. haemosuis, respectively; Anaplasma spp. and Borrelia spp. were not detected. The 16S rRNA sequences of M. suis, M. parvum, and the novel hemotropic M. haemosuis were highly similar (99.3–100%, 99.6–100%, and 99.6–100%, respectively) to those of Mycoplasma spp. isolated from other countries. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first nationwide, large-scale study of the molecular detection of Mycoplasma spp. in domestic pigs in Korea.ConclusionsOur results indicate that Mycoplasma infections are widespread in Korean domestic pigs, and that continuous monitoring and control strategies are required to prevent the spread of hemoplasmas, which, in addition to causing economic losses in the pig industry, pose a potential threat to public health. As transmission routes of hemoplasmas remain unelucidated, additional epidemiological studies are recommended to identify reservoirs and vectors of Mycoplasma spp. in Korea.
Highlights
Two hemoplasma species, Mycoplasma suis and M. parvum, previously known as Eperythrozoon suis and E. parvum, respectively, have been identified in pigs
Additional PCR analysis conducted on the 55 positive samples to identify M. suis, M. parvum and the novel hemotropic M. haemosuis species revealed incidences of 0.2% (3/1867; 95% 95% confidence interval (CI): 0–0.3%), 2.7% (51/1867; 95% CI: 2.0–3.5%), and 0.1% (1/1867; 95% CI: 0–0.2%), respectively (Table 1)
Results of this study indicated that breeding pigs are more likely to be infected with Mycoplasma than fattening pigs, which is consistent with a previous report that sows presented with higher rates of M. suis, M. parvum and the novel hemotropic M. haemosuis than growing pigs [12]
Summary
Mycoplasma suis and M. parvum, previously known as Eperythrozoon suis and E. parvum, respectively, have been identified in pigs. Mycoplasma suis and M. parvum, previously known as Eperythrozoon suis and E. parvum, respectively, have been previously identified in pigs [2]; these two organisms can be distinguished based on Mycoplasma suis, a small, rickettsia-like, rod-shaped, extracellular pleomorphic microorganism, which attacks erythrocytes [4] and is the causative agent of hemoplasmosis (previously called eperythrozoonosis) in domestic pigs [5]. This species was previously known as M. haemosuis (basonym E. suis) or “Candidatus M. haemosuis”, indicating the provisional status of an incompletely described taxon [6, 7]. Pigs infected with M. suis are likely to be persistent chronic carriers of the pathogen even after the resolution of clinical signs [9]
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