Molecular identification of Mycoplasma agalactiae from mastitic milk of lactating ewes in Al-Muthana provinceIraq

Abstract

Mastitis is the main signs of contagious agalactia syndrome in sheep and goats, which is caused by Mycoplasma agalactiae and induces heavy economic losses. The aim of this study was to isolate and identify M. agalactia from mastitic lactating ewes at Al-Muthana province. Clinical mastitic milk collected from infected animals. The collected samples were transferred in a transport medium which contained PPLO broth, horse serum and yeast extract at cool conditions to the lab. All the samples were carried out by PCR and cultured on PPLO agar too. The results showed that, from the total of 150 mastitic milk samples, 40% was positive by culture for growth of mycoplasma. Out of 60 positive culture there was 35(58.3%) positive for Mycoplasma spp. PCR, and 435 (11.4%) were identified as Mycoplasma agalactiae by PCR. The lactating ewes with mycoplasmas mastitis exhibited non-significant variation in temperature, respiration and pulsation rates when compared with healthy ewes group.