Hemoplasmas in opossums (Didelphis virginiana) from southeastern Mexico

Hemoplasmas (hemotropic mycoplasmas) are a neglected group of bacteria that infect the erythrocytes of a wide range of mammals, including members of the order Didelphimorphia. At the continental level, two hemoplasma species are recognized infecting four Didelphis species: 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haematodidelphidis' and 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoalbiventris' in the United States and Brazil. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and genetic diversity of hemoplasmas species in 102 Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) from Veracruz and Tabasco, Mexico. A total of 20/102 (19.61 %, 95 % CI: 13.07-28.36 %) animals tested positive for hemoplasmas. The sequences generated in this study exhibited a similarity range of 98.19-100 % among themselves (872/888-888/888 bp). Comparisons with available reference sequences revealed 97.97-99.77 % similarity (868/886-886/888 bp) to the only known sequence of 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haematodidelphidis' from the USA (GenBank accession number: AF178676). Additionally, we identified nine novel haplotypes. This study provides the first record of hemoplasmas in Didelphis species from Mexico and the first report of 'Ca. M. haematodidelphidis in Mexican marsupials, thereby expanding the inventory of the hemoplasmas diversity associated with marsupials.