Seroprevalence of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae in goats in Hunan province, China

Abstract

Little information is available about the seroprevalence of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae infection in goats in China. In the present study, the seroprevalence of M. ovipneumoniae infection in goats was investigated in Hunan province, China between September 2015 and September 2016. A total of 750 serum samples collected from 10 herds in various administrative regions in Hunan province, China were evaluated using indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA). Antibodies to M. ovipneumoniae were tested in 234 of 750 serum samples (31.2%) (IHA titer≥1:16). The M. ovipneumoniae seroprevalence ranged from 22% to 50% among different regions in Hunan province, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). In addition, the seroprevalence of M. ovipneumoniae infection in goats was higher in winter (40%) and spring (32.4%) than in autumn (27.2%) and summer (24.4%), and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). The results of the present survey indicate that M. ovipneumoniae infection is highly prevalent in goats in Hunan province, China.