Abstract

Haemotropic Mycoplasma species (haemoplasmas) are erythrocyte-associated bacteria that can induce anaemia in domestic animals. Among these, Candidatus Mycoplasma haematovis has rarely been reported in goats worldwide and has not been molecularly confirmed in India. A fourmonth-old male crossbred Beetal goat kid was presented to the Small Ruminant Unit of the Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex, Mannuthy, with a history of intermittent diarrhoea for two weeks. In addition, there was mortality of one kid from the same household manifesting similar clinical signs. The affected animal had previously been treated by a field veterinarian for  suspected theileriosis based on the presence of intra-erythrocytic inclusions on blood smear examination and was administered buparvaquone. Complete blood count revealed anaemia and thrombocytopenia, whereas conventional smear examination failed to detect any haemoparasites. Genus-specific PCR screening, however, indicated the presence of haemotropic Mycoplasma and Anaplasma/Ehrlichia spp. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the Mycoplasma 16S rRNA gene amplicon confirmed the organism as C. M. haematovis. The sequence (GenBank accession no. PX133059) showed 98.6% similarity with a goat isolate from China. The kid was successfully treated with intravenous oxytetracycline, supportive fluid therapy, and tick control, resulting in complete clinical recovery without recurrence during a three-month followup. This report provides the first molecular confirmation of C. M. haematovis infection in a goat from India. The present case study also highlights the limitations of blood smear microscopy, and the diagnostic value of PCR in haemoparasites detection.

Keywords : Anaemia; Candidatus Mycoplasma haematovis; Haemoparasitic co-infections; Goat; PCR; Phylogeny