Isolation and identification of mycoplasmas from the respiratory tract of sheep in New Zealand

Authors: Brown VG, Clarke JK, Alley MR
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 22, Issue 7, pp 117-121, Jul 1974
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant, Sheep
Subject Terms: Ear/nose/throat, Notifiable organisms/exotic disease, Bacterial, Disease/defect, Infectious disease, Pneumonia/pleurisy, Respiratory system
Article class: Scientific Article

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Abstract: Chronic pneumonia is one of the most prevalent diseases of sheep in New Zealand and it is generally believed to be of considerable economic importance although its aetiology is uncertain. In an Australian study of ovine pneumonia St. George et al ( 1971) described the transmission of this disease using a mycoplasma recovered from sheep lung, and subsequently Carmichael et al (1972) suggested the name Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae for the organism involved. Although it cannot be assumed that the disease transmitted to Australian sheep is the same as the natural disease in New Zealand sheep, it is, nevertheless, important to know if mycoplasmas are commonly present in the respiratory tract of sheep in New Zealand. This communication reports the isolation of two groups of mycoplasmas from the respiratory tract of sheep in New Zealand and investigates the relationship of one of these groups to the standard Australian strain of M. ovipneumoniae.

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