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*Pathogens belong to the ''Mycoplasma'' and ''Ureaplasma'' genera
*Pathogens belong to the ''Mycoplasma'' and ''Ureaplasma'' genera
*Cause many diseases including contagious bovine pleuropneumonia
*Cause many diseases especially respiratory diseases of farm animals including contagious bovine pleuropneumonia
*Can be involved in mastitis and conjunctivitis in cattle
*Implicated in respiratory and urinary tract diseases in dogs and cats
*Non-pathogenic mycoplasmas present in the rumen
*Non-pathogenic mycoplasmas present in the rumen
*Live on mucous membranes of oronasal cavity, conjunctiva and intestines
*Live on mucous membranes of oronasal cavity, conjunctiva and intestines
*Stress factors and concurrent disease may predispose to tissue invasion
*Usually host-specific
*Usually host-specific
*Limited survival in the environment
*Limited survival in the environment
===Characteristics===
*Smallest free-living prokaryotic organism
*Smallest free-living prokaryotic organism
*Colonies have a fried egg appearance
*Colonies have a fried egg appearance
*Most are facultative anaerobes
*Most are facultative anaerobes
*Mycoplasmas induce proliferation of macrophages and monocytes, and release of cytokines such as TNF and interleukins
*Mycoplasmas induce proliferation of macrophages and monocytes, and release of cytokines such as TNF and interleukins
*Cause damage to cilia in the respiratory tract leading to pneumonia
*Cause damage to cilia in the respiratory tract leading to pneumonia
*Molecular mimicry allows some mycoplasmas to avoid the host immune response and may initiate immune-mediated disease
===Diagnosis===
*Samples can be tested for the presence of mycoplasmas by fluorescent antibody techniques, peroxidase techniques and PCR
*Biochemical profiles such as urease production can be used for identification
*''Ureaplasmas'' produce urease, whereas ''Mycoplasmas'' do not metabolise urea
*Serolgy is required for specific identification including complement fixation tests, ELISA, agglutination tests and haemagglutination-inhibition tests
*Growth inhibition tests using specific antisera can be used as well as fluorescent antibody tests
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===Clinical infections===
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