Ovine mycoplasmal infections

Compared to other ruminants like cattle and goats, sheep are not as prone to the same range or severity of mycoplasmal infections. The main mycoplasmal diseases of sheep are contagious agalactia (CA), caused by Mycoplasma agalactiae, atypical pneumonia, caused by M. ovipneumoniae and infectious keratoconjunctivitis (“pink-eye”), caused by M. conjunctivae: all are important diseases, but rarely life-threatening in their own right. However, recent isolations of mycoplasmas from mixed flocks of sheep and goats in the Middle East require a reassessment of the ovine mycoplasmal flora. There have been sporadic isolations of many other mycoplasmas, including the human organism, M. fermentans, but their link to disease has not been proven. This review paper summarises ovine mycoplasmas and the diseases that they cause or are associated with.