The first case of goat infection with Mycoplasma conjunctivae in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China: A case report

Mycoplasma conjunctivae belong to the Mycoplasma species of the Mycoplasma family and is the main pathogen that causes infectious keratoconjunctivitis in goats. Infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC), also known as red eye disease, is a highly contagious disease that is prevalent worldwide. In October 2022, a goat farm in Tongxin County, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China began to show leukoplakia in the eyes of goats 3 days after the introduction of a batch of goats without isolation observation. The sick goat showed listlessness and poor appetite with body temperature up to 41°C. The eyes began to appear white spots, and its range gradually expanded, covering the entire eyeball. Among the 200 introduced goats, 40 animals were affected with an incidence rate of 20%. Ocular secretions from 15 sick goats were collected, and DNAs were extracted and amplified by polymerase chain reaction using specific primers. The amplified products were then sequenced, and phylogenetic trees were constructed. The phylogenetic tree showed that Mco 01, Mco 02, Mco 03, Mco 04, Mco 05, Mco 06, Mco 07, Mco 08, Mco 09, Mco 10, Mco 11, Mco 12, Mco 13, Mco 14 and Mco 15 had the closest genetic distance with the reported M. conjunctivae Goat 655 and M165/69 strains. The self-test support rate with Goat 655 was as high as 98. This study reported, for the first time, the identification of M. conjunctivae in the ocular secretions of goats from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Under the stressful conditions of long-distance transportation, the health status of goats should be highly concerned, and timely prevention of M. conjunctivae disease could improve the survival rate of purchased goats. © (2024), (Bio Tech System). All rights reserved.