Detection and prevalence of four different hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. in Eastern North Carolina American black bears ( Ursus americanus )

Abstract Hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. are globally emerging, obligate parasitic, epierythrocytic bacteria that infect many vertebrates, including humans. Hemoplasma infection can cause acute life-threatening symptoms or lead to a chronic sub-clinical carrier state. Hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. transmiss...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Comparative immunology, microbiology and infectious diseases microbiology and infectious diseases, 2017-02, Vol.50, p.106-109
Main Authors: Westmoreland, Lori S.H, Stoskopf, Michael K, Maggi, Ricardo G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Allergy and Immunology
American black bear
Animal diseases
Animals
Bears
Blood
Carrier lifetime
Chronic infection
Deoxyribonucleic acid
Disease Reservoirs
Disease transmission
DNA
DNA, Bacterial - genetics
Hemoplasma
Hemotropic Mycoplasma
Host specificity
Humans
Infectious Disease
Molecular chains
Mycoplasma
Mycoplasma - classification
Mycoplasma - genetics
Mycoplasma - isolation & purification
Mycoplasma Infections - epidemiology
Mycoplasma Infections - microbiology
Mycoplasma Infections - transmission
Mycoplasma Infections - veterinary
North Carolina - epidemiology
Phylogeny
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Prevalence
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
rRNA 16S
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Species
Ursidae - microbiology
Ursus americanus
Vectors
Vertebrates
Wildlife
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Summary:Abstract Hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. are globally emerging, obligate parasitic, epierythrocytic bacteria that infect many vertebrates, including humans. Hemoplasma infection can cause acute life-threatening symptoms or lead to a chronic sub-clinical carrier state. Hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. transmission, prevalence, and host specificity are uncertain. The purpose of this study was to determine the molecular prevalence of Mycoplasma species in blood from 68 free-ranging black bears from the eastern coast of North Carolina. DNA amplification of Mycoplasma 16S rRNA gene identified four distinct species infecting 34/68 (50%) of the black bear blood samples, including Candidatus M. haematoparvum. The high prevalence of hemotropic Mycoplasma infection in this wildlife species highlights the importance of understanding intra and inter species transmission. Black bears may play a role in the transmission of hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. between animals, arthropod vectors, and humans. Further studies are needed to elucidate black bears as a potential reservoir for hemotropic Mycoplasma infections.
ISSN:0147-9571
1878-1667
DOI:10.1016/j.cimid.2016.12.002