%0 Journal Article
%T Mycoplasma alkalescens demonstrated in bronchoalveolar lavage of cattle in Denmark
%A Branko Kokotovic
%A Niels F Friis
%A Peter Ahrens
%J Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica
%D 2007
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1751-0147-49-2
%X Mycoplasma alkalescens is a bovine mycoplasma species, which was originally isolated from the nasal cavity of cattle in Australia [1]. Like many other mycoplasmas, M. alkalescens is a normal inhabitant of the upper respiratory tract, but it has also been associated with disease. M. alkalescens has mostly been implicated in mastitis in cattle. It has been isolated from bulk tank milk samples, as well as from outbreaks and sporadic cases of clinical mastitis [2-5]. Furthermore, M. alkalescens has been isolated from cases of severe arthritis, and its ability to induce joint lesions has been confirmed under experimental conditions [6,7]. Rosenfeld & Hill [8] isolated M. alkalescens in pure culture from abomasum and lung of an aborted bovine foetus, while Lamm et al. [9] found M. alkalescens in association with otitis in calves. Finally, M. alkalescens has occasionally been found in association with disorders of the respiratory tract [10,11].Recently, 17 bronchoalveolar lavage samples from calves suffering from pneumonia in a single herd in Denmark were submitted, on two occasions, to the National Veterinary Institute for laboratory examinations. The samples were examined for the presence of bacterial pathogens, bovine respiratory mycoplasmas, as well as for the presence of bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), bovine coronavirus and parainfluenza-3 virus (PI-3). The samples were not examined for infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus, as Denmark is considered free of this infection. Thereby, eight arginine-metabolizing mycoplasmas were isolated. In the present study the identification of the isolates as M. alkalescens is presented. This is the first report of isolation of this species in Denmark.Bacteriological examination was performed according to standard laboratory procedures. Examination for BRSV, bovine coronavirus and PI-3 was performed using an indirect sandwich-ELISA assay [12]. Isolation of mycoplasmas was performed according to standard laboratory proce
%U http://www.actavetscand.com/content/49/1/2