Molecular resistance mechanisms of Mycoplasma agalactiae to macrolides and lincomycin

Mycoplasma agalactiae Vaccines: Current Status, Hurdles, and Opportunities Due to Advances in Pathogenicity Studies

Contagious agalactia (CA) is a serious multietiological disease whose classic etiological agent is Mycoplasma agalactiae and which causes high morbidity and mortality rates in infected herds. CA is classified as a notifiable disease by the World Organization for Animal Health due to its significant worldwide economic impact on livestock, primarily involving goat and sheep farms. The emergence of atypical symptoms and strains of M. agalactiae in wildlife ungulates reestablishes its highly plastic genome and is also of great epidemiological significance. Antimicrobial therapy is the main form of control, although several factors, such as intrinsic antibiotic resistance and the selection of resistant strains, must be considered. Available vaccines are few and mostly inefficient. The virulence and pathogenicity mechanisms of M. agalactiae mainly rely on surface molecules that have direct contact with the host. Because of this, they are essential for the development of vaccines. This review highlights the currently available vaccines and their limitations and the development of new vaccine possibilities, especially considering the challenge of antigenic variation and dynamic genome in this microorganism.

Antibacterial potential of commercial and wild lactic acid bacteria strains isolated from ovine and caprine raw milk against Mycoplasma agalactiae

Introduction

The complexity of fighting contagious agalactia (CA) has raised the necessity of alternative antimicrobial therapies, such as probiotics. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are present in the mammary gland of small ruminants and their antimicrobial effect have been previously described against species like Mycoplasma bovis but never against Mycoplasma agalactiae (Ma). This in vitro study aims to evaluate the antimicrobial activity against Ma of ovine and caprine LAB strains and a human commercial probiotic (L2) of Lactobacillus spp.

Methods

A total of 63 possible LAB strains were isolated from nine ovine and caprine farms in Spain, three isolates (33B, 248D, and 120B) from the 63 strains were selected, based on their capacity to grow in a specific medium in vitro, for an in vitro experiment to assess their antimicrobial activity against Ma in Ultra High Temperature (UHT) processed goat milk (GM). A women commercial vaginal probiotic was also included in the study. The inoculum of L2 was prepared at a concentration of 3.24 × 10⁸  CFU/mL and the average concentration of the inoculum of the wild LAB varied from 7.9 × 10⁷ to 8.4 × 10⁸  CFU/mL.

Results

The commercial probiotic L2 significantly reduced the concentration of Ma to 0.000 log CFU/mL (p < 0.001), strain 33B reduced it from 7.185 to 1.279 log CFU/mL (p < 0.001), and 120B from 6.825 to 6.466 log CFU/mL (p < 0.05). Strain 248D presented a bacteriostatic effect in GM. Moreover, the three wild strains and the commercial probiotic produced a significative reduction of the pH (p < 0.001).

Discussion

This is the first in vivo report of the antimicrobial potential of LAB strains against Ma and its interaction. Our results support possible future alternative strategies to antibiotic therapy, previously not contemplated, to fight CA in small ruminants. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the action mechanisms through which these LAB are able to inhibit Ma and to assess the safety of using these strains in possible in vivo studies.

Vaccines for Mycoplasma Diseases of Small Ruminants: A Neglected Area of Research

Mycoplasmas cause some of the most economically important diseases of sheep and goats, including diseases listed by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) such as contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP) and contagious agalactia (CA). Other important mycoplasma diseases include chronic respiratory and arthritic syndrome (CRAS) and atypical pneumonia, both present on all continents where small ruminants are farmed. Unfortunately, owing to a lack of investment, most commercial vaccines for these diseases are of poor quality, being mostly composed of killed bacteriocins of dubious or unknown efficacy. Several Mediterranean laboratories produce autogenous vaccines, but these can only be used on farms where outbreaks have been officially declared, and consequently have limited impact on disease nationally. Effective live vaccines are available, but their use is often restricted because of safety concerns. With the necessary safeguards in place, we argue for their greater use. This review examines reported vaccines for mycoplasma diseases of small ruminants and attempts to identify new candidate antigens that may enable the development of improved products. Vaccines for CCPP are covered elsewhere.

Influence of lincomycin on anaerobic digestion: Sludge type, biogas generation, methanogenic pathway and resistance mechanism

This study investigated the tolerance, defensive response and methanogenic pathways of anaerobic granular slugde and anaerobic suspended sludge (AGS and ASS) exposed to different LCM concentrations. AGS presented a higher tolerance to LCM stress, accompanied with 20.8 ± 2.6% enhancement in methane production at 1000 mg/L LCM, which was likely attributed to the less cell deaths and extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) protection. In the acidification stage, acetate accumulation was stimulated and the activity of acetate kinase was promoted by LCM. In the methanogenesis stage, propionate and butyrate utilization for methane production were impaired after LCM addition. LCM also improved the activity of pyruvate-ferredoxin oxidoreductase and strengthened the process of hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis, likely by accelerating interspecies electron transfer mediated by hydrogen. ErmB and ermF were the dominate LCM resistance genes in AGS under LCM pressure conferring the resistance mechanism of ribosomal protection.

Population structure and antimicrobial susceptibility of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae isolates in France

Chronic non-progressive pneumonia in small ruminants caused by Mycoplasma (M.) ovipneumoniae is mainly controlled by chemotherapy. In France, during the last decade, a rise in M. ovipneumoniae cases was recorded in both sheep and goats, suggesting a possible emergence. Whether this rise is associated with antimicrobial resistance, as observed in other ruminant Mycoplasma species, has yet to be examined. The aim of the study was to characterize the diversity of M. ovipneumoniae strains circulating in France and assess their antimicrobial resistance, together with the underlying mechanisms, to help find an explanation for the increase in reported cases. The genetic diversity of 56 strains isolated between 2007 and 2018 from sheep and goats was assessed using different subtyping methods. Their susceptibility to six antimicrobial classes was profiled by estimating Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) using an optimised agar dilution method. Resistance mechanisms were explored by sequence analysis of rRNA targets. A high genetic diversity of strains was evidenced, with consistent, marked animal-host clustering in the Hsp70 gene and whole genome sequence phylogeny. No clonal evolution could thus account for putative emergence. Apart from florfenicol, MICs were low except for a few isolates with increased values for tetracyclines, macrolides and lincosamides. Hotspot mutations in the target ribosomal gene could explain increased tetracycline MICs. Other mechanisms are suspected for macrolide-lincosamide and florfenicol resistance. The emergence of M. ovipneumoniae is thus not related to any increase in resistance or to a clonal spread. Explanations may lie in breeding practices.

Contagious Agalactia In Sheep And Goats: Current Perspectives

Contagious agalactia (CA) is a disease caused equally by four Mycoplasma species, in single or mixed infections. Clinical signs are multiple, including mastitis, arthritis, keratoconjunctivitis, pneumonia, and septicemia, non-specific, and expressed differently depending whether sheep or goats are affected, on causative mycoplasmas as well as type of husbandry. CA has been reported worldwide and its geographic distribution maps to that of small ruminant breeding areas. However, as current diagnostic tests are expensive and difficult to implement, it is certainly underdiagnosed and prevalence data are only available for a few countries. CA control relies on vaccines, chemotherapy and good herd management practices. It requires long-term commitment but is often unsuccessful, with frequent clinical relapses. The persistence of the etiological agents, despite their overall susceptibility to antimicrobials, comes from their genetic plasticity and capacity to escape the host immune response. The existence of asymptomatic carriers and the numerous sources of infections contribute to rapid spread of the disease and complicate the control and prevention efforts. Here we review all these aspects in order to highlight recent progress made and identify gaps in knowledge or tools needed for better disease management. Discussion also underlines the detrimental effect of contagious agalactia on small ruminant welfare.

Comparative evaluation of different therapeutic protocols for contagious caprine pleuropneumonia in Himalayan Pashmina goats

Therapeutic management of contagious caprine pleuroneumonia (CCPP) involves mostly the use of oxytetracycline followed by enrofloxacin and rarely tylosin. In many parts of the world including India, the former antibiotics are commonly available than the latter. Therefore, prolonged use of the same leads to the development of antibiotic resistance and decreased efficacy of drug. Besides, inflammatory and allergic pathogenesis of CCPP envisages combination therapy. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of the combination therapy using different antibiotics (oxytetracycyline @ 10: group I, enrofloxacin @ 5 group II, and tylosin: group III, @ 10 mg/kg body weight), along with anti-inflammatory (meloxicam @ 0.5 mg/kg) and anti-allergic (pheneramine maleate @ 1.0 mg/kg) drugs. These drugs were given intramuscularly at the interval of 48 h for four times in three test groups (n = 10) of Pashmina goats, viz. groups I, II, and III, respectively, affected with CCPP. Group IV (n = 10) was kept as healthy control when group V (n = 10) treated with oxytetracycline @ 10 mg/kg alone was used as positive control. Clinical signs, clinical parameters, pro-inflammatory cytokine (tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)), and oxidative stress indices (total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS)) were evaluated at hours 0, 48, 96, and 144 of experimental trial. Tylosin-based combination therapy resulted in a rapid and favorable recovery resulting in restoration of normal body temperature (102.46 ± 0.31 °F), respiration rate (16.30 ± 0.79 per minute), and heart rate (89.50 ± 2.63 per minute) compared to the oxytetracycline (102.95 ± 0.13, 21.30 ± 1.12, 86.00 ± 2.33, respectively) and enrofloxacin (102.97 ± 0.19, 21.00 ± 1.25, 90.00 ± 2.58, respectively) treated groups. By hour 144, all the groups showed restoration of clinical parameters of normal health and diminishing signs of CCPP, viz. fever, dyspnea, coughing, nasal discharge, weakness, and pleurodynia. Significant (P ≤ 0.05) decrease in levels of TNF-α and non-significant (P > 0.05) decrease in levels of TOS and an increase in levels of TAS were noted from hour 0 to 144 in all the test groups. Within the groups, no significant (P > 0.05) change was noted in TNF-α, TOS, and TAS levels; however, TNF-α levels were comparatively lower in group III. Hematological parameters did not differ significantly (P > 0.05). From these findings, it can be inferred that tylosin-based combination therapy is relatively better for early, rapid, and safe recovery besides minimizing inflammatory and oxidative cascade in CCPP affected Pashmina goats compared to oxytetracycline- and enrofloxacin-based therapies.

Contagious caprine pleuropneumonia - a comprehensive review

Contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP) is a serious disease of goats, occasionally sheep and wild ruminants, caused by Mycoplasma capricolum subspecies capripneumoniae (Mccp). The disease is characterized by severe serofibrinous pleuropneumonia, very high morbidity (∼100%), and mortality (80–100%). CCPP affects goats in more than 40 countries of the world thereby posing a serious threat to goat farming around the globe. The characteristic clinical signs of CCPP are severe respiratory distress associated with sero-mucoid nasal discharge, coughing, dyspnea, pyrexia, pleurodynia, and general malaise. In later stages, severe lobar fibrinous pleuropneumonia, profuse fluid accumulation in pleural cavity, severe congestion of lungs and adhesion formation is observed. Mycoplasmal antigen interactions with host immune system and its role in CCPP pathogenesis are not clearly understood. CCPP is not a zoonotic disease. Diagnosis has overcome cumbersome and lengthy conventional tests involving culture, isolation, and identification by advanced serological (LAT, cELISA) or gene-based amplification of DNA (PCR, RFLP, and hybridization) and sequencing. The latex agglutination test (LAT) is rapid, simple, and better test for field and real-time diagnosis applicable to whole blood or serum and is more sensitive than the CFT and easier than the cELISA. Moreover, the studies on antibiotic sensitivity and exploration of novel antibiotics (fluoroquinolones, macrolides) can help in better therapeutic management besides preventing menace of antibiotic resistance. Re-visiting conventional prophylactic measures focussing on developing novel strain-based or recombinant vaccines using specific antigens (capsular or cellular) should be the most important strategy for controlling the disease worldwide.

Antimicrobial Resistance in Mycoplasma spp

Mycoplasmas are intrinsically resistant to antimicrobials targeting the cell wall (fosfomycin, glycopeptides, or β-lactam antibiotics) and to sulfonamides, first-generation quinolones, trimethoprim, polymixins, and rifampicin. The antibiotics most frequently used to control mycoplasmal infections in animals are macrolides and tetracyclines. Lincosamides, fluoroquinolones, pleuromutilins, phenicols, and aminoglycosides can also be active. Standardization of methods used for determination of susceptibility levels is difficult since no quality control strains are available and because of species-specific growth requirements. Reduced susceptibility levels or resistances to several families of antimicrobials have been reported in field isolates of pathogenic Mycoplasma species of major veterinary interest: M. gallisepticum and M. synoviae in poultry; M. hyopneumoniae, M. hyorhinis, and M. hyosynoviae in swine; M. bovis in cattle; and M. agalactiae in small ruminants. The highest resistances are observed for macrolides, followed by tetracyclines. Most strains remain susceptible to fluoroquinolones. Pleuromutilins are the most effective antibiotics in vitro. Resistance frequencies vary according to the Mycoplasma species but also according to the countries or groups of animals from which the samples were taken. Point mutations in the target genes of different antimicrobials have been identified in resistant field isolates, in vitro-selected mutants, or strains reisolated after an experimental infection followed by one or several treatments: DNA-gyrase and topoisomerase IV for fluoroquinolones; 23S rRNA for macrolides, lincosamides, pleuromutilins, and amphenicols; 16S rRNAs for tetracyclines and aminoglycosides. Further work should be carried out to determine and harmonize specific breakpoints for animal mycoplasmas so that in vitro information can be used to provide advice on selection of in vivo treatments.

23S rRNA and L22 ribosomal protein are involved in the acquisition of macrolide and lincosamide resistance in Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum

Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum (Mcc) is one of the causative agents of contagious agalactia, and antimicrobial therapy is the most commonly applied measure to treat outbreaks of this disease. Macrolides and lincosamides bind specifically to nucleotides at domains II and V of the 23S rRNA. Furthermore, rplD and rplV genes encode ribosomal proteins L4 and L22, which are also implicated in the macrolide binding site. The aim of this work was to study the relationship between mutations in these genes and the acquisition of macrolide and lincosamide resistance in Mcc. For this purpose, in vitro selected resistant mutants and field isolates were studied. This study demonstrates the appearance of DNA point mutations at the 23S rRNA encoding genes (A2058G, A2059G and A2062C) and rplV gene (Ala89Asp) in association to high minimum inhibitory concentration values. Hence, it proves the importance of alterations in 23S rRNA domain V and ribosomal protein L22 as molecular mechanisms responsible for the acquisition of macrolide and lincosamide resistance in both field isolates and in vitro selected mutants. Moreover, these mutations enable us to provide an interpretative breakpoint of antimicrobial resistance for Mcc at MIC 0.8 μg/ml.