(Synonyms

No known synonym

Name of the disease in English

Mycoplasmal acute bronchopneumonia

The disease in brief

Inflammation of the lungs and bronchi of multifactorial origin. The disease is caused by different species of viruses, bacteria and mycoplasmas. Risk factors related to the environment or the animal contribute to the onset of cases or the severity of cases. Viruses and mycoplasmas act initially, some bacterial species cause complications secondarily.

Mycoplasmas accompany viruses in the primary infection:  M.bovis basically,  (M.dispar, M. californicum…).

Clinic & diagnosis

In the first stages of infection, fever, increased respiratory rate, small-deep cough, abundant-clear discharge, epiphora-lacrimation, increased respiratory noise on auscultation are noted. Then signs of dyspnea appear.

Swollen and painful joints on palpation are the sign that should lead to suspicion of polyarthritis and therefore a Mycoplasma infection (which remains to be confirmed).

Typical sign of the disease

No description

Pictures

See below

Diagnostic formulas

No description

Differential diagnosis

-Acute bronchopneumonia -Bacterial infection stage RS24

-Hematogenous arthritis caused by Mycoplasma LC20_3

Confirm a suspicion?

Nasal swabs often reveal diverse flora that is not representative of the disease. Tracheobronchial lavage is the method of choice for detecting pathogens. Mycoplasma bovis can be detected by PCR. Bacterial culture is possible (make sure to specify to the laboratory that you are looking for Mycoplasma). 

Coupled serological sampling at the start and end of the illness, 3 weeks apart, can help provide a group view.

Prognosis and treatment

The treatment of Mycoplasma bronchopneumonia is known to be difficult. Long-term treatments are preferred (macrolides, the lincomycin-spectinomycin combination, florfenicol in particular can be used). Bacteria of the Mycoplasma genus are naturally resistant to beta-lactams and sulfonamides. The patient can be relieved with an anti-inflammatory such as an NSAID.

Prevention

Prevention involves controlling respiratory infections in general, but if we limit ourselves to Mycoplasma, prevention consists first of all in protecting the herd. Animals infected with Mycoplasma bovis remain carriers for a long time, so mycoplasmosis is a disease that can be introduced into a herd through purchases.

References

Blackwell's five-minute veterinary consult-Ruminant; Haskell SRR Ed Wiley-Blackwell p 578