Mollicutes Flashcards
What are two characteristics of Mollicutes?
NO CELL WALL
Ubiquitous
What are three genera of Mollicutes?
Mycoplasma
Ureaplasma
Acholeplasma
What are clinical signs of non-hemotrphic Mollicutes?
Respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, arthritis, mastitis, conjuctivitis, septicemia
What are clinical signs of hemotrophic mollicutes?
Hemolytic anemia
Formerly: Haemobartonella and Eperythrozoon
T/F. Mollicutes are subclinical to severely debilitating or fatal diseases in many species.
True
Which of the following is INCORRECT about morphology of Mollicutes?
A. Very pleomorphic B. Stain poorly C. No cell wall D. Big genome E. Evolved from Clostridium-Streptococcus
D. Big genome
Correct: small genome (extremely plastic: plasmid, phage, and transposon components).
What are two genera that are included in Non-hemotrophic Mollicutes?
Ureaplasma
Mycoplasma
What are the characteristics of Non-hemotrophic Mollicutes?
Host specific (not exclusively), NOT zoonotic, grown on specialized axenic media.
Describe features of culture growth of non-hemotrphic mollicutes.
Slow, CO2 enriched at mammalian temp, “fried egg” colonies.
How are Non-hemotrophic Mollicutes transmitted?
DIRECT CONTACT (respiratory or venereal secretions), asymptomatic carriers, mechanical in dairies, vertical in poultry, arthropod.
Where do Non-hemotrophic Mollicutes reside normally?
THE HOST THEY INFECT, MUCOSAL SURFACES, moist/cool environments.
What is the pathogenesis of Non-hemotrophic Mollicutes?
Underlying factor (age, crowding, concurrent infections, stress) > Attachment to mucosal surface > inside non-phagocytic cells or fuse with cell membranes > Latent infection (immune system avoidance)
What are the possible end results of Non-hemotrophic Mollicutes pathogenesis (after latent infection)?
Acute septicemic forms: coagulopathy, vascular thrombosis (resemble gram negative septicemia).
Chronic infection related to persistence in face or inflammatory response > TISSUE DAMAGE
What are the virulence factors of Non-hemotrophic Mollicutes?
Peroxie/Superoxide (disrupt host cell integrity), Urease (Ureaplasma, inflammatory and increases pH), proinflammatory molecules, IgA proteases.
T/F. Leftover and excessive antigens are pro-inflammatory molecules of Non-hemotrophic Mollicutes. Only humoral response is activated so Mycoplasma downregulates the system.
False. Everything is true except BOTH humoral and cell mediated responses are activated.
What are the species of Avian mycoplasmosis?
Mycoplasma gallisepticum in chickens and turkeys
Mycoplasma synoviae in turkeys
Mycoplasma meleagridis and M. iowae in turkeys
What are the clinical signs of Mycoplasma gallisepticum?
Chronic respiratory disease (chickens), infectious sinusitis (turkeys), decreased egg production, conjuctivitis.
What are clinical signs of Mycoplasma synoviae?
Synovitis (lameness, joint swelling, reduced growth), sternal bursitis (turkeys), subclinical airsacculitis.
What are the clinical signs of M. meleagridis and M. iowae in turkeys?
Airsacculitis, skeletal deformities, growth stunting, decreased egg hatchability.
T/F. Avian Mycoplasmosis is reportable in UK but not in the US.
False. Reportable in US.
T/F. Avian Mycoplasmosis is important economically.
True
What disease does Mycoplasma mycoides ssp. mycoides cause?
Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP)
Which Mycoplasma species is the most virulent in cattle?
Mycoplasma mycoides ssp. mycoides (small colony variant)
What are the clinical signs for Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP)?
Respiratory disease (subclinical and persistent, acute or fatal presentation, distress, coughing, nasal discharge, lethargy).
Which species of Mycoplasma cause Mycoplasma mastitis?
Mycoplasma BOVIS, M. californicum, M. canadense
What are the clinical symptoms of mycoplasma mastitis?
Drop in milk production, udder can be swollen and 4 quarters can be affected, milk becomes thick and intermixed with watery and purulent secretions.
(Disseminated infection can follow).
Which Mycoplasma species cause urogenital tract infections in Bovine?
Mycoplasma bovigenitalium, ureaplasma diversum.
What are the symptoms of urogenital tract infections cause by mycoplasma?
Bulls: seminal vesiculitis
Cows: granular vulvitis, vaginitis, endometritis, abortions.
T/F. Mycoplasma bovigenitalium and Ureplasma diversum usually reside in moist environment.
False.
Normal commensal organisms of the lower urogenital tract.
Which Mycoplasma species cause Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia? What are the clinical signs?
M. capricolum subsp. Capripnemoniae. Respiratory disease (similar to CBPP)
Which Mycoplasma species cause Contagious Agalactia of sheep and goats? What are the clinical signs?
M. agalactiae and M. putrefaciens.
Febrile mastitis, arthritis and conjuctivitis.
T/F. Only Contagious Caprine pleuropneumonia is the reportable disease in the USA out of Mycoplasma causing diseases in sheep and goats.
Fase.
Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia and Contagious Agalactia of sheep and goats.
T/F. Mycoplasma mycoides ssp. mycoides cause mastitis, pneumonia, bursitis and arthritis in adults and rapid fatal septicemia in kids of goats and sheep.
True.
T/F. M. mycoides ssp. capri does not cause disease in sheep and goats.
False.
Pleuropneumonia.
What are the three species of Mycoplasma that cause diseases in Porcine?
M. hyopneumoniae, M. hyorihinis, M. hyosynoviae.
Which species of Mycoplasma causes Porcine Enzootic Pneumonia? What are the clinical signs?
M. hyopneumoniae.
Non-productive cough, unthrifty appearance, decreased weight gain.
Chronic respiratory disease.
T/F. Low morbidity and low mortality for Porcine Enzootic Penumonia.
False.
High morbidity and low mortality.
What does Mycoplasma hyorhinis in porcine cause? Which age group does it target?
Polyserositis (fever, anorexia, listelessness, arthritis, lameness).
Systemic infection in young pigs (3-10 wks).
What is the clinical sign that M. hyosynoviae causes? What is its age target group?
Lameness.
Arthritis in growing pigs (3-6 months).
What are the diagnosis for Non-hemotrophic Mollicutes?
Collect samples from affected tissues, culture (difficult), SEROLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR!
How can you prevent Non-hemotrphic Mollicutes?
Attenuated live vaccines - Diminish disease but not infection, protect cattle in CBPP in enzootic areas, can be used in other species as well.
What are treatments for Non-hemotrophic Mollicutes?
Antibiotics (some resistance), high failure rates.
Susceptibility not routinely checked.
What is the most effective control for Non-hemotrophic Mollicutes?
TEST AND SLAUGHTER! BIOSECURITY!
T/F. Non-hemotrophic Mollicutes are RBC parasites.
False. HEMOTROPHIC Mollicutes are!
What do hemotrophic Mollicutes cause in young, immunocomprommised, or stressed animals?
Hemolytic anemia
asymptomatic or subclinical
Which species of Mycoplasma cause FELINE INFECTIOUS ANEMIA?
M. haemofelis
What are the clinical signs caused by Hemotrophic Mollicutes?
ICterus, splenomegaly, bone marrow hyperplasia.
What are diagnosis for Hemotrophic Mollicutes?
Clinical signs, organisms in blood films, PCR.
What are treatments for Hemotrophic Mollicutes?
Correct the anemia!
Tetracycline
What are the three forms (duration) that Feline Infectious Anemia can cause? What are some clinical signs? Treatment?
Peracute, ACUTE, chronic.
Fever, anemia, weakness, jaundice.
Treatment: Blood, doxycycline, flea control
Who is the primary host of Mycoplasma haemofelis? How is it transmitted?
Free roaming tom cats.
Arthropod vector.
What are Mollicutes? What does it mean?
Smallest self-replicating organisms.
“Soft skin”.
