Molecular Diagnosis of Mycoplasma Species Infection in Camels Using Semi-nested PCR

Bacteriological isolation and identification of Mycoplasma species is difficult and time-consuming, therefore, molecular identification of Mycoplasma using PCR targeting specific genes is considered a specific and sensitive method for identification. The aim of current study was to isolate, characterize Mycoplasma infection in dromedary camels in Saudi Arabia.

Nasal swabs were randomly collected from 93 camels and tested for Mycoplasma by sequencing of their 16S rRNA genes using universal primers.

The 93 samples, 24 were positive for Mycoplasma. However, no positive results were obtained using species-specific primers for Mycoplasma arginine, M. bovis or M. mycoides subsp. mycoides, thus, 16S rDNA sequencing methods and semi-nested PCR were employed. Sequences were matched to those in GenBank and phylogenetic analysis was performed. Mycoplasma edwardii (77-84% similarity with Mycoplasma edwardii ATCC 23462) and one isolate of Mycoplasma yeastsii (100% similarity with M. yeastsii GM274B) were identified. Further, some Mycoplasma species were identified as previously uncultured. The incidence of Mycoplasma infection in camels in Taif city, Saudi Arabia, was approximately 26%.

This study provides insights into the accuracy and efficiency of PCR and universal primers for the detection and identification of Mycoplasma, thereby circumventing conventional culturing methods that require several days to complete and exhibit low accuracy.