Laboratory animal mycoplasmosis: A mini review

Abstract

Mycoplasmas are the smallest, free-living, cell wall less prokaryotes from the class mollicutes, and these are relatively slow-growing microorganisms. Most of the laboratory animals may get the mycoplasma infection naturally. A large number of mycoplasma species (Mycoplasma pulmonis, M. muris, M. neurolyticum, M. collis, M. arthritidis and M. caviae etc.) have been reported from the laboratory animals. These are responsible for the development of a large numbers of clinical conditions in laboratory animals hence they may cause interference in the results of on-going research/experimental works on those laboratory animals. This review article gives insights on laboratory animal mycoplasma infections including pathogenesis, clinical signs, lesions, diagnosis, and interference in the experimental work, prevention, and control.

Keywords

• CAR bacillus
• Laboratory animals
• Mycoplasmosis
• PCR-RFLP