Infectivity of two mycoplasmas of bovine origin in pregnant heifers
Stalheim, O.H.; Hubbert, W.T.; Foley, J.W.
American Journal of Veterinary Research 35(1): 63-66
1974
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-9645 PMID: 4809599 Document Number: 76317
Of 18 normal heifers 14 yielded mycoplasms from nasal mucus. T-strains were seen in the vaginal mucus of 5 animals and in the semen of a bull. Fifteen of these heifers, after becoming pregnant, were exposed to two mycoplasma strains associated with weak calves and abortion by i/v inoculation on two occasions between 112 and 240 days of gestation. organisms were found in jugular blood for 24 hours after inoculation, but no fever or abortions occurred. At parturition and P.M. examination of the heifers no T-strain or bacterial L-forms were recovered, but mycoplasms were recovered from 3 placentas, nasal mucus of 4 calves and one heifer, and the ovary and uterine tube of 2 heifers, but the strains were not serologically related to those originally inoculated.