First molecular detection of Mycoplasma ovis (Hemotropic mycoplasmas) from Sheep in Brazil

• Published in: Revista brasileira de parasitologia veterinaria Vol. 28; no. 3; pp. 360 - 366
• Main Authors: Souza, Ugo Araújo, Oberrather, Karina, Fagundes-Moreira, Renata, Almeida, Bruno Albuquerque de, Valle, Stella de Faria, Girotto-Soares, Aline, Soares, João Fábio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Brazil Colégio Brasileiro de Parasitologia Veterinária 01.07.2019; Colégio Brasileiro de Parasitologia Veterinaria
• Subjects: gene 16S rRNA; Hemoplasmas; PARASITOLOGY; pequenos ruminantes; Rio Grande do Sul; VETERINARY SCIENCES; Rio Grande do Sul; pequenos ruminantes; Hemoplasmas; small ruminants; gene 16S rRNA; 16S rRNA gene
• ISSN: 0103-846X; 1984-2961; 1984-2961
• DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612019022

Mycoplasma ovis is an emerging zoonotic pathogen with a worldwide distribution and can cause mild to severe hemolytic anemia, icterus, and poor weight gain in animals. Although M. ovis has been described in small ruminants worldwide, data on M. ovis in sheep in Brazil is unknown. The objective of the present study was to present the first report of hemotropic mycoplasma (HM) in sheep from Brazil. We evaluated factors associated with this infection, such age group, tick presence, and anemia. Blood samples were collected from 33 sheep from a farm in southern Brazil and screened for hemoplasmas using PCR. Out of 33 samples, 26 (78.8%) tested positive for M. ovis. The sequencing of positive samples showed 100% identity with multiple M. ovis 16S rDNA sequences. No association was observed between the presence of M. ovis and the FAMACHA© score (p = 0.620). Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (15/33, 45.4%) was the tick species found on the animals. No significant association between M. ovis infection and presence of ticks (p = 0.4134) and age group (p = 0.4221) was observed. This is the first report of M. ovis infection in sheep from Brazil and only the second report of this pathogen in sheep in Latin America.