{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T04:31:21Z","timestamp":1787027481033,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,15]],"date-time":"2021-06-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1623715200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Contagious agalactia (CA) is suspected when small ruminants show all or several of the following clinical signs: mastitis, arthritis, keratoconjunctivitis and occasionally abortion. It is confirmed following mycoplasma isolation or detection. The historical and major cause is Mycoplasma agalactiae which was first isolated from sheep in 1923. Over the last thirty years, three other mycoplasmas (Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri, Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum and Mycoplasma putrefaciens) have been added to the etiology of CA because they can occasionally cause clinically similar outcomes though nearly always in goats. However, only M. agalactiae is subject to animal disease regulations nationally and internationally. Consequently, it makes little sense to list mycoplasmas other than M. agalactiae as causes of the OIE-listed CA when they are not officially reported by the veterinary authorities and unlikely to be so in the future. Indeed, encouraging countries just to report M. agalactiae may bring about a better understanding of the importance of CA. In conclusion, we recommend that CA should only be diagnosed and confirmed when M. agalactiae is detected either by isolation or molecular methods, and that the other three mycoplasmas be removed from the OIE Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines in Terrestrial Animals and associated sources.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani11061782","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,15]],"date-time":"2021-06-15T11:00:33Z","timestamp":1623754833000},"page":"1782","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":20,"title":["Mycoplasma agalactiae: The Sole Cause of Classical Contagious Agalactia?"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6685-7109","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sergio","family":"Migliore","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia \u201cA. Mirri\u201d, 90129 Palermo, Sicily, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3461-3353","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Roberto","family":"Puleio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia \u201cA. Mirri\u201d, 90129 Palermo, Sicily, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Robin A. J.","family":"Nicholas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Consultant, The Oaks, Nutshell Lane, Farnham, Surrey GU9 0HG, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Guido R.","family":"Loria","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia \u201cA. Mirri\u201d, 90129 Palermo, Sicily, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (2019). Chapter 3.7.3 Contagious Agalactia. Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals (Terrestrial Manual), OIE. [8th ed.]. Available online: https:\/\/www.oie.int\/fileadmin\/Home\/eng\/ Health_standards\/tahm\/3.07.03_CONT_AGALACT.pdf."},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"71","article-title":"Les mycoplasmoses de la chevre","volume":"48","author":"Perreau","year":"1979","journal-title":"Cah. Med. Vet."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"Frey, J., and Sarris, K. (1996). Contagious Agalactia: An update. Mycoplasmas of Ruminants: Pathogenicity, Diagnostics, Epidemiology and Molecular Genetics, Commission of the European Community."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"409","DOI":"10.1136\/vr.120.17.409","article-title":"Caprine mycoplasmosis: An outbreak of mastitis and arthritis requiring the destruction of 700 goats","volume":"120","author":"Brooks","year":"1987","journal-title":"Vet. Rec."},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"Spickler, A.R. (2021, April 22). Contagious Agalactia. Available online: cfsph.iastate.edu\/diseaseinfo\/factsheets\/ https:\/\/www.cfsph.iastate.edu\/diseaseinfo\/disease\/?disease=contagious-agalactia&lang=en."},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"European Parliamentary Research Service (2021, April 21). The Sheep and Goat Sector in the EU Main Features, Challenges and Prospects. Briefing. Available online: https:\/\/www.europarl.europa.eu\/RegData\/etudes\/BRIE\/2017\/608663\/E."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"848","DOI":"10.20506\/rst.16.3.1062","article-title":"Contagious agalactia of small ruminants: Current knowledge concerning epidemiology, diagnosis and control","volume":"16","author":"Bergonier","year":"1997","journal-title":"Rev. Sci. Tech."},{"key":"ref_8","unstructured":"Lambert, M., and Jones, G. (1987). Contagious Agalactia and Other Mycoplasmal Diseases of Ruminants, Commission of the European Community."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tvjl.2013.06.017","article-title":"Contagious agalactia: The shepherd\u2019s nightmare","volume":"198","author":"Loria","year":"2013","journal-title":"Vet. J."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1067","DOI":"10.1080\/1828051X.2019.1617044","article-title":"Effect of Mycoplasma agalactiae mastitis on milk production and composition in Valle dell Belice dairy sheep","volume":"18","author":"Tolone","year":"2019","journal-title":"Ital. J. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_11","first-page":"229","article-title":"Contagious Agalactia In Sheep And Goats: Current Perspectives","volume":"10","author":"Tardy","year":"2019","journal-title":"Vet. Med."},{"key":"ref_12","first-page":"440","article-title":"First isolation of Mycoplasma capricolum subsp capricolum, one of the causal agents of caprine contagious agalactia, on the island of Lanzarote (Spain)","volume":"173","author":"Poveda","year":"2005","journal-title":"Vet. J."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"416","DOI":"10.1136\/vr.100481","article-title":"Severe outbreaks of polyarthritis in kids caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies capri in Sicily","volume":"170","author":"Agnello","year":"2012","journal-title":"Vet. Rec."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"48","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tvjl.2013.04.015","article-title":"Contagious agalactia due to Mycoplasma spp. in small dairy ruminants: Epidemiology and prospects for diagnosis and control","volume":"198","author":"Amores","year":"2013","journal-title":"Vet. J."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1397","DOI":"10.20506\/rst.15.4.990","article-title":"Contagious caprine pleuropneumonia and other pulmonary mycoplasmoses of sheep and goats","volume":"15","author":"Thiaucourt","year":"1996","journal-title":"Rev. Sci. Tech."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"484","DOI":"10.1046\/j.0931-1793.2003.00709.x","article-title":"Genital lesions in an outbreak of caprine contagious agalactia caused by Mycoplasma agalactiae and Mycoplasma putrefaciens","volume":"50","author":"Gil","year":"2003","journal-title":"J. Vet. Med. B Infect. Dis. Vet. Public Health"},{"key":"ref_17","first-page":"205","article-title":"Species of Mycoplasma causing contagious agalactia in small ruminants in Northwest Iran","volume":"54","author":"Hajizadeh","year":"2018","journal-title":"Vet. Ital."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"140","DOI":"10.1016\/j.smallrumres.2013.06.015","article-title":"Characterization of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri isolates by SDS-PAGE, immunoblotting and PFGE","volume":"115","author":"Corona","year":"2013","journal-title":"Small Rumin. Res."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"79","DOI":"10.1016\/0921-4488(94)90014-0","article-title":"Antibody response patterns in goats experimentally infected with Mycoplasma agalactiae","volume":"14","author":"Hasso","year":"1994","journal-title":"Small Rumin. Res."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"453","DOI":"10.1177\/1040638719835243","article-title":"An outbreak of Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies capri arthritis in young goats: A case study","volume":"31","author":"Johnson","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Vet. Diagn. Invest."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"60","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetmic.2016.06.002","article-title":"Multilocus sequence typing of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri to assess its genetic variability in a contagious agalactia endemic area","volume":"191","author":"Paterna","year":"2016","journal-title":"Vet. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_22","first-page":"189","article-title":"Experimental infection of goats with an unusual strain of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri isolated in Jordan: Comparison of different diagnostic methods","volume":"46","author":"Sacchini","year":"2010","journal-title":"Vet. Ital."},{"key":"ref_23","first-page":"141","article-title":"A pathological and immunohistochemical study of goat kids undergoing septicaemic disease caused by Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum, Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri and Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides (large colony type)","volume":"45","author":"Brooks","year":"1998","journal-title":"Zent. Vet. B"},{"key":"ref_24","first-page":"975","article-title":"Pathogenicity of Mycoplasma capricolum and Mycoplasma putrefaciens","volume":"20","author":"DaMassa","year":"1984","journal-title":"Isr. J. Med. Sci."},{"key":"ref_25","first-page":"1677","article-title":"Caprine mycoplasmosis: Mycoplasma putrefaciens, a new cause of mastitis in goats","volume":"41","author":"Adler","year":"1980","journal-title":"Am. J. Vet. Res."},{"key":"ref_26","unstructured":"OIE (2021, January 11). Animal Health Information WAHIS Interface; 2005\u20132019. Available online: https:\/\/www.oie.int\/wahis_2\/public\/wahid.php\/Diseaseinformation\/Diseasetimelines\/index\/newlang\/en?header_disease_type_hidden=0&header_disease_id_hidden=0&header_selected_disease_name_hidden=0&header_disease_type=0&header_disease_id_terrestrial=47&header_disease_id_aquatic=\u2212999&header_firstyear=2005&header_lastyear=2019."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106","DOI":"10.1016\/j.smallrumres.2005.05.022","article-title":"Isolation and molecular identification of small ruminant mycoplasmas in Jordan","volume":"65","author":"Halablab","year":"2006","journal-title":"Small Rumin. Res."},{"key":"ref_28","first-page":"27","article-title":"Mycoplasmas isolated from ruminants in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1995 and 2015","volume":"65","author":"Maksimovic","year":"2016","journal-title":"Veterinaria"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"667","DOI":"10.1136\/vr.148.21.667","article-title":"Outbreaks of contagious agalactia in small ruminants in the Republic of Macedonia","volume":"148","author":"Cokrevski","year":"2001","journal-title":"Vet. Rec."},{"key":"ref_30","first-page":"421","article-title":"Comparison of PCR tests for the detection of Mycoplasma agalactiae in sheep and goats. Turk","volume":"40","author":"Rosales","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Vet. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ariza-Miguel, J., Rodriguez-Lazaro, D., and Hernandez, M. (2012). A survey of Mycoplasma agalactiae in dairy sheep farms in Spain. BMC Vet. Res., 8.","DOI":"10.1186\/1746-6148-8-171"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"89","DOI":"10.1016\/j.smallrumres.2011.09.008","article-title":"Surveillance of Mycoplasma agalactiae and Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri in dairy goat herds","volume":"102","author":"Amores","year":"2012","journal-title":"Small Rumin. Res."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"257","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tvjl.2004.05.002","article-title":"Microbiological survey for Mycoplasma spp. in a contagious agalactia endemic area","volume":"170","author":"Antunes","year":"2005","journal-title":"Vet. J."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chazel, M., Tardy, F., Le Grand, D., Calavas, D., and Poumarat, F. (2010). Mycoplasmoses of ruminants in France: Recent data from the national surveillance network. BMC Vet. Res., 6.","DOI":"10.1186\/1746-6148-6-32"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"364","DOI":"10.1136\/vr.d4627","article-title":"Congenital polyarthritis in goat kids attributed to Mycoplasma agalactiae","volume":"169","author":"Filioussis","year":"2011","journal-title":"Vet. Rec."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1309","DOI":"10.1590\/S0100-736X2013001100004","article-title":"Mycoplasma aagalctiae in semen and milk of goat from Pernambuco, Brazil","volume":"33","author":"Bruno","year":"2013","journal-title":"Pesqui. Vet. Bras."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"754","DOI":"10.1016\/j.resmic.2007.09.007","article-title":"Evolution of mollicutes: Down a bumpy road with twists and turns","volume":"158","author":"Citti","year":"2007","journal-title":"Res. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_38","unstructured":"Loria, G.R., Puleio, R., Filioussis, G., Rosales, R.S., and Nicholas, R.A.J. (2019). Contagious Agalactia: Costs and Control Revisited Scientific and Technical Review, OIE."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"369","DOI":"10.7589\/0090-3558-44.2.369","article-title":"Epidemiology of Mycoplasma agalactiae infection in free-ranging Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica) in Andalusia, southern Spain","volume":"44","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Wildl. Dis."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Loria, G.R., Ruocco, L., Ciaccio, G., Iovino, F., Nicholas, R.A.J., and Borrello, S. (2010). The Implications of EU Regulation 2016\/429 on Neglected Diseases of Small Ruminants including Contagious Agalactia with Particular Reference to Italy. Animals, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani10050900"},{"key":"ref_41","unstructured":"Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) (2018). 2018\/1629 of 25 July 2018 Amending the List of Diseases Set Out in Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2016\/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council on Transmissible Animal Diseases and Amending and Repealing Certain Acts in the Area of Animal Health (Animal Health Law), Commission Delegated Regulation (EU)."}],"container-title":["Animals"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/11\/6\/1782\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T06:14:15Z","timestamp":1760163255000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/11\/6\/1782"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,15]]},"references-count":41,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,6]]}},"alternative-id":["ani11061782"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ani11061782","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-2615"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-2615","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,15]]}}}