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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, April 2003, p. 1913-1919, Vol. 69, No. 4
0099-2240/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.69.4.1913-1919.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Molecular Epidemiology of Mycoplasma conjunctivae in Caprinae: Transmission across Species in Natural Outbreaks

Luc Belloy,1,{dagger} Martin Janovsky,2,{ddagger} Edy M. Vilei,1 Paola Pilo,1 Marco Giacometti,3 and Joachim Frey1*

Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology,1 Center for Fish and Wildlife Health, Institute of Animal Pathology, University of Berne, CH-3012 Berne,2 Wildvet Projects, CH-7605 Stampa, Switzerland3

Received 25 April 2002/ Accepted 7 January 2003

Mycoplasma conjunctivae is the etiological agent of infectious keratoconjunctivitis, a highly contagious ocular infection that affects both domestic and wild Caprinae species in the European Alps. In order to study the transmission and spread of M. conjunctivae across domestic and wild Caprinae populations, we developed a molecular method for subtyping and identifying strains of M. conjunctivae. This method is based on DNA sequence determination of a variable domain within the gene lppS, a gene that encodes an antigenic lipoprotein of M. conjunctivae. This domain of lppS shows variations among different strains but remains constant upon generations of individual strains on growth medium and thus allows identification of individual strains and estimation of their phylogenetic intercorrelations. The variable domain of lppS is amplified by PCR using primers that match conserved sequences of lppS flanking it. Sequence analysis of the amplified fragment enables fine subtyping of M. conjunctivae strains. The method is applicable both to isolated strains and to clinical samples directly without requiring the cultivation of the strain. Using this method, we show that M. conjunctivae was transmitted between domestic and wild animals that were grazing in proximate pastures. Certain animals also presented infections with two different strains simultaneously.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Institute for Veterinary Bacteriology, University of Berne, Laenggass-Strasse 122, CH-3012 Berne, Switzerland. Phone: 41 31 631 24 14. Fax: 41 31 631 26 34. E-mail: joachim.frey{at}vbi.unibe.ch.

{dagger} Present address: Institut Galli Valerio, CH-1014 Lausanne, Switzerland.

{ddagger} Present address: Landesveterinärdirektion, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, April 2003, p. 1913-1919, Vol. 69, No. 4
0099-2240/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.69.4.1913-1919.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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