Isolation and molecular identification of small ruminant mycoplasmas in Jordan

Mycoplasma infections of small ruminants are known to exist in the Mediterranean region, Asia, Africa and cause significant economic impacts but little is known of the Mycoplasma spp. in sheep and goats in the Middle East. During the period of 2002–2003, 104 flocks of local sheep and goats (17 sheep, 27 goat and 60 mixed flocks) were surveyed for the occurrence of mycoplasma infections in Northern Jordan. The clinical signs seen in the studied flocks were, to varying degrees, mastitis in sheep and goats, arthritis, mainly in kids, and pneumonia in both sheep and goats of most age groups. Small ruminant farms were sampled and pooled milk samples and nasal swabs were collected for culture and isolation of mycoplasma. Mycoplasmas were isolated from 17 (26%) of the 62 milk samples and 12 (3.9%) of the 310 nasal swab samples collected from goats and from 8 (13%) of the 62 milk samples and 7 (2.3%) of the 310 nasal swabs collected from sheep. In all 44 isolates were fully identified using growth inhibition test (GI), denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and specific polymerase chain reactions. These were: Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides large colony type (Mmm LC) (n = 9), Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum (Mcc) (n = 13), Mycoplasma putrefaciens (n = 21) and Mycoplasmaagalactiae (n = 1); all were isolated from both sheep and goats. Several isolates could not be identified. This is the first report on the isolation and identification of small ruminant mycoplasmas in Jordan.