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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Ruminant Diseases and Immunology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #311320
Title: Mycoplasma bovis: an emerging pathogen of ranched bison

Author
item RHYAN, JACK - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS), National Wildlife Center
item HUNTER, DAVID - Turner Endangered Species Fund
item Register, Karen
item WOODBURY, MURRAY - University Of Saskatchewan
item DYER, NEIL - North Dakota State University
item BURRAGE, PATRICK - Burrage Veterinary Services
item WINDEYER, CLAIRE - University Of Calgary
item PATYK, KELLY - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS), National Wildlife Center
item PARKER, MARGARET - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS), National Wildlife Center
item SWEENEY, STEVEN - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS), National Wildlife Center

Submitted to: United States Animal Health Association Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/22/2014
Publication Date: 10/22/2014
Citation: Rhyan, J., Hunter, D., Register, K.B., Woodbury, M., Dyer, N., Burrage, P., Windeyer, C., Patyk, K., Parker, M., Sweeney, S. 2014. Mycoplasma bovis: an emerging pathogen of ranched bison. In: Proceedings of the 118th Annual Meeting of the United States Animal Health Association, October 16-22, 2014, Kansas City, Missouri. p. 182-183.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) is an emerging, primary pathogen of ranched bison (Bison bison) in North America. It causes severe disease among animals in feedlots as well as breeding-age cows and bulls on pasture. Mortality in adult bison is as high as 25 percent, resulting in significant economic losses to producers. Clinical signs of M. bovis disease in bison have been variably reported as caseonecrotic pneumonia, pharyngitis, polyarthritis, dystocia and abortion, with lesions disseminated to various organ systems. Affected animals may be alert at the onset of disease, but lag behind the rest of the herd due to lameness and exercise intolerance. Eventually, M. bovis-affected bison become emaciated and weak, usually leading to death or euthanasia. It is unknown to what extent epizootics of M. bovis in bison are influenced by geographic and environmental variables, or by differences in bacterial strains or disease resistance among herds. Potential risk factors for M. bovis disease in bison include introduction of new arrivals into herds, movement of bison to feedlots or among pastures, unusually hot or cold weather, seasonal decline in forage quality, stress of lactation, and excessive parasite loads. Immunological strategies to protect bison from M. bovis outbreaks have yielded mixed results. Canadian and U.S. researchers have launched diagnostic and epidemiological studies of M. bovis disease in bison to explore some of these important topics.