Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum

Introduction

This bacteria is also known as: M. capricolum

Mycoplasma capricolum
Phylum	Firmicutes
Class	Mollicutes
Order	Mycoplasmatales
Family	Mycoplasmataceae
Genus	Mycoplasma
Species	M.capricolum

M.capricolum subsp. capricolum is a species of the Mycoplasmas genus. It causes the serious and economically devastating condition in goats and sheep in Africa and Asia called Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia. The bacteria was previously known as Mycoplasm F38, before its specificity was known and it was renamed according to the species it pathogenised.

M. capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae is a member of the Mycoplasma mycoides cluster which are a phylogenetically related grouping of ruminant mycoplasmas and include M.capricolum subsp. capricolum, M. mycoides subsp. mycoides SC, M. mycoides subsp. mycoides LC, M. mycoides subsp. capri, and Bg7. The phenotypic and genetic traits shared in this group have their basis in conventional biochemical and immunological tests such as colony size and growth characteristics, substrate utilization, isozyme patterns, protein profiles and DNA hybridization studies (Rodwell, 1982; Salih and Rosenbusch, 1983; Cottew et al., 1987).

The polysaccharide capsule of M. capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae may have a similar role to that described for M. mycoides subsp. mycoides SC in contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) (Rurangirwa et al., 1987). The galactan capsules are generally considered to promote pathogenicity either directly by toxic effects, or by promoting resistance to phagocytosis (Rosenbusch and Minion, 1992).

There is very little information on the pathogenic mechanisms of M. capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae, although some hypothesis can be drawn from comparison with other mycoplasmoses and especially with CBPP. A striking feature of CCPP is the host and tissue specificity of the causative agent, as lesions are produced only in goat lungs. Some mycoplasmas have adhesins, but no such component has yet been described for M. capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae. Although M. capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae is present in high quantities in affected lungs, there is no dissemination to other organs. This may be due to a specific reaction of the lung tissue towards a mycoplasmal component that leads to an exacerbated inflammatory response (Thiaucourt and Bölske, 1996).

Clinical Signs

The disease causes acute onset pleuropneumonia with pyrexia, weight loss and agalactia. The disease is notifiable to the vWorld Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

Diagnosis

M.capricolum can be identified by growth inhibition disc tests. There are inactivated vaccines available.

An 'in the field' diagnostic procedure is the latex agglutination test (LAT) (Rurangirwa et al 1987b). This test is based on a polysaccharide isolated from Mccp (Rurangirwa et al 1987a) which is used to sensitise latex beads. The sensitised latex beads are then used to detect serum antibodies from goats infected with CCPP (Rurangirwa et al 1987b). The specificity of LAT was assessed using WM25 monoclonal antibody which is specific for Mccp (Rurangirwa et al 1987c; Belton et al 1994) and reacts with the polysaccharide (Rurangirwa et al 1992). The specificity of LAT was further confirmed by evaluating specific growth inhibiting rabbit antisera to various mycoplasma isolates (Rurangirwa et al 1987c). The sensitised latex beads are stable at 4°C, room temperature and 37°C for over one year. Thus the long shelf-life of the beads at different temperatures makes it possible to prepare large amounts which can be stored until used. The latex agglutination test is an excellent procedure for the diagnosis of CCPP and can be run in two minutes on samples of whole blood or serum, requires no sophisticated equipment or storage facilities and is adaptable to any laboratory or field conditions - an example of a pen-side diagnostic test. The test is carried out by mixing a drop of the sensitised beads with a drop of blood or serum from the suspected animal on a glass slide for one minute and the results read visually and recorded as positive or negative. LAT combined with presenting clinical signs and necropsy indicating fibrinous pleuropneumonia is confirmatory of Mccp associated CCPP.

Definite diagnosis is made by the isolation of M. capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae from clinical samples, usually lung tissue and may be a long and difficult process. The success of isolation depends primarily on the attention that is given to sample collection.

The growth inhibition (GI) test is the simplest and most specific, but the least sensitive of the tests available. It depends on the direct inhibition of mycoplasma growth on solid media by specific hyperimmune serum, and detects primary surface antigens (Dighero et al., 1970).

The direct and indirect fluorescent antibody tests are among the most effective, simple and rapid serological methods of identification for most mycoplasma (Rosendal and Black, 1972). Several forms have been described, the most commonly used one is the indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test which is applied to unfixed colonies on agar.

The complement fixation test (CFT) and the indirect haemagglutination test (IHA) are serological methods of diagnosis, as is the ELISA. These have varying degrees of efficacy.

Until recently, isolation was the only way to confirm the presence of CCPP. Diagnostic systems based on PCR have been developed for the rapid detection, identification and differentiation of members of the M. mycoides cluster and the specific identification of M. capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae (Bashiruddin et al., 1994; Hotzel et al., 1996).

Treatment

Macrolides, tetracyclines and quinolones are active against this organism.

Literature Search

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References

Bashiruddin JB, Taylor TK, Gould AR, 1994. A PCR-based test for the specific identification of Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides SC. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, 6(4):428-434; 14 ref.
Belton D, Leach RH, Mitchelmore DL, Rurangirwa FR, 1994. Serological specificity of a monoclonal antibody to Mycoplasma capricolum strain F38, the agent of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia. Veterinary Record, 134(25):643-646; 21 ref.
Cottew GS, Brerard A, DaMassa AJ et al., 1987. Taxonomy of the Mycoplasma mycoides cluster. Israel Journal of Medical Sciences, 23:632-635.
Dighero MW, Bradstreet PCM, Andrews BE, 1970. Dried paper discs for serological identification of human mycoplasmas. Journal of Applied Bacteriology, 33:750-757. Hotzel H, Sachse K, Pfützner H, 1996. A PCR scheme for differentiation of organisms belonging to the Mycoplasma mycoides cluster. Veterinary Microbiology, 49(1/2):31-43; 21 ref.
Hotzel H, Sachse K, Pfützner H, 1996. A PCR scheme for differentiation of organisms belonging to the Mycoplasma mycoides cluster. Veterinary Microbiology, 49(1/2):31-43; 21 ref.
OIE Handistatus, 2002. World Animal Health Publication and Handistatus II (dataset for 2001). Paris, France: Office International des Epizooties.
OIE Handistatus, 2003. World Animal Health Publication and Handistatus II (dataset for 2002). Paris, France: Office International des Epizooties.
OIE Handistatus, 2004. World Animal Health Publication and Handistatus II (data set for 2003). Paris, France: Office International des Epizooties.
OIE, 2005. World Animal Health Publication and Handistatus II (data set for 2004). Paris, France: Office International des Epizooties.
Rodwell AW, 1982. The protein fingerprints of mycoplasmas. Review of Infectious Diseases, Supplement 4:8-17.
Rosenbusch RF, Minion FC, 1992. Cell envelope:Morphology and Biochemistry. In: Maniloff J, McElhaney RN, Finch LR Baseman JB, eds. Molecular Biology and Pathogenesis. Washington DC, USA: American Society for Microbiology, 73-77.
Rosendal S, Black FT, 1972. Direct and indirect immunofluorescence of unfixed and fixed mycoplasma colonies. Acta Pathologica et Microbiologica Scandinavica, 80:615-622.
Rurangirwa FR, McGuire TC, Magnuson NS, Kibor A, Chema S, 1987. Composition of a polysaccharide from mycoplasma (F-38) recognised by antibodies from goats with contagious pleuropneumonia. Research in Veterinary Science, 42(2):175-178; 16 ref.
Rurangirwa FR, McGuire TC, Kibor A, Chema S, 1987. A latex agglutination test for field diagnosis of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia. Veterinary Record, 121(9):191-193; 11 ref.
Rurangirwa FR, McGuire TC, Musoke AJ, Kobore A, 1987. Differentiation of F38 Mycoplasmas causing contagious caprine pleuropneumonia with a growth-inhibiting monoclonal antibody. Infection and Immunity, 55:3219-3220.
Salih BA, Rosenbusch RF, 1983. Antibody response to Mycoplasma bovoculi of naturally and experimentally infected calves. [Abstract]. Abstracts of Papers presented at the Annual Meeting of the Conference of Research Workers in Animal Disease, Chicago, November 1983, 64:4.
Taylor TK, Bashiruddin JB, Gould AR, 1992. Relationships between members of the Mycoplasma mycoides cluster as shown by DNA probes and sequence analysis. International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology, 42(4):593-601; 19 ref.
Thiaucourt F, Bölske G, 1996. Contagious caprine pleuropneumonia and other pulmonary mycoplasmoses of sheep and goats. Revue Scientifique et Technique - Office International des épizooties, 15(4):1397-1414; 69 ref.