Histopathological, Immunohistochemical and
Bacteriological Characterization of
Mycoplasma bovis Pneumonia
in Cattle
R Yilmaz1,*, IT Cangul2, K
Onat3, A
Akkoc2, MO Ozyigit2 and E Akdesir4
1Department
of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine, Harran University, Sanliurfa, Turkey; 2Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine, Uludag
University, Bursa, Turkey; 3Republic of Turkey Ministry
of Food, Agriculture and
Livestock, Balikesir, Turkey; 4Centre for Fish and Wildlife Health, University
of Bern, Bern, Switzerland;
*Corresponding author: rmilliogullari@hotmail.com
Abstract
The aim of this study was
to determine the prevalence of M. bovis
pneumonia in slaughtered cattle in Bursa region, to perform the
histopathological investigation of these cases, to demonstrate the agent with
bacteriological and immunohistological examination and to characterize the
inflammatory response against the agent. A total of 1413 lungs were examined at
slaughter houses and 136 lungs (9.63%) with signs of pneumonia were sampled. Ten
pneumonic lungs from the department archive were also included in the study.
Bacteriological and immunohistochemical examination revealed
M. bovis as the cause of pneumonia in
39 animals. In the classification of pneumonia regarding the exudate and the
anatomic pattern, the most common pneumonia type was fibrinopurulent
bronchopneumonia, non-purulent broncho-interstitial pneumonia and necrotic-fibrinopurulent
bronchopneumonia. Necrotic areas were observed in a total of 18 cases. The agent
was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry in 24 animals, bronchi and bronchiole
epithelium being the most commonly invaded histological structures.
Immuno-histochemistry revealed T cell as the most prominent inflammatory cell in
M. bovis pneumonia, thus supporting
the role of cellular defense in the pathogenesis of this pneumonia in cattle.
Key words:
Bacteriology,
Cattle,
Immunohistochemistry, M. bovis, Pneumonia