Molecular detection of selective virulence factors of mycoplasma bovis local isolates involved in bovine mastitis

Abstract

Mycoplasma bovis is believed to be a major cause of pneumonia, mastitis, and arthritis in cattle. Mastitis is the most prevalent production-related disease in dairy herds. The present study aimed to improve the current knowledge on the virulence factors of M. bovis-induced mastitis in dairy cows. To this end, sampling was done from farms in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. The samples were monitored for growth in a specific PPLO medium in a CO2 incubator. Simultaneously, the DNA of the samples was extracted and PCR was used to detect M. bovis strains. After identifying susceptible isolates of M. bovis, P48, alpha-enolase, P81, and LppB genes were investigated in M. bovis positive PCR samples. In total, out of 204 samples, 11 isolates suspected of M. bovis were obtained (5.39%) via culture method and 21 positive samples (10.29%) were obtained through PCR. 57.14 (12/21), 66.66 (14/21), and 52.38 (11/21)% of the samples were positive concerning the presence of P48, alpha-enolase and LppB genes, respectively. P81 was not detected in any of the positive samples. The results of the present study showed that the presence of M. bovis in dairy herds in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari could be considered among the factors that cause mastitis in cattle. alphaenolase gene was found to be more abundant than the other selected genes, which could play an important role in the future strategic measure to develop preventive measures against mycoplasmal mastitis.

Keywords

• mastitis
• mycoplasma bovis
• virulence gene
• prevalence