Mycoplasma pneumonia in small ruminants: A ten-year long retrospective survey

Mycoplasma infections are commonly associated with respiratory diseases in farm animals. However, few data are currently available about the presence and the etiology of mycoplasma pneumonia in small ruminants in central Italy, a region particularly devoted to pastoralism. The present study aims to investigate retrospectively the causative agents of pneumonia in sheep and goats, a special emphasis being placed upon mycoplasmas. In total, respiratory pathogens were identified in 129 of 380 carcasses (32.36%). Mycoplasmas were detected in a high percentage of cases, alone (59 animals) or in combination with other pathogens (26 animals), Mycoplasma arginini being the most frequent species. No evidence of mycoplasma infection was demonstrated in 44 carcasses; in such animals, Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida were most commonly isolated. Overall, our results suggest that mycoplasma infections can contribute to a relevant portion of respiratory diseases in small ruminants and support the role of Mycoplasma arginini as a frequent cause of pneumonia in sheep. We consider that such data are of value to efficiently manage the health status of animal populations.