Canine mycoplasmas

Sa？etak Mycoplasmas are the smallest procaryotic cells capable of self-replication, found in a variety of avian, human, insect, mammalian, plant and reptilian hosts. The mollicutes occur worldwide and some species are found as commensals on the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory, intestinal and genital tracts, on articular surfaces and in bovine mammary glands. To date, 15 species of mycoplasma have been isolated from dogs. The clinical manifestations of canine mycoplasmosis are various, ranging from respiratory tract diseases, urogenital tract diseases and sterility, meningoencephalomyelitis and meningoencephalitis, severe anaemia, and septicaemia, to arthritis. Isolation and identification of these microbes are hampered due to the specific properties of the mycoplasmas. In addition, mycoplasmas do not respond to conventional antimicrobial therapy. Mycoplasmas lack a cell wall, which makes them resistant to penicillin and cephalosporin antibiotics. Therefore, tetracycline, macrolide and fluoroquinolone antibiotics are the drugs of choice. The zoonotic potential is yet to be investigated since there have been several reports of human infection by various mycoplasma species typically found in dogs