Mycoplasma-induced arthritis in farm animals

Mycoplasma-induced arthritis in farm animals is rarely diagnosed. When recognized, it is usually associated with mycoplasma infections at other anatomical sites such as the respiratory tract and mammary glands and presumably follows bacteremia. Cases do occur where arthritis appears to be the primary lesion, but this may only reflect a failure to recognize infection at other sites. In cattle, the mycoplasma species causing arthritis are M. bovis, M. mycoides subsp. mycoides, Mycoplasma spp. Group 7 and Mycoplasma spp. serotype L. In sheep and goats, M. capricolum can cause severe polyarthritis, while M. hyorhinis and M. hyosynoviae have been incriminated in arthritis in pigs.