Diversity and variation in antimicrobial susceptibility patterns over time in Mycoplasma agalactiae isolates collected from sheep and goats in France.

Aims: Mycoplasma agalactiae is responsible for Contagious Agalactia, a severe syndrome affecting small ruminants worldwide and resulting in significant economic losses in countries with an important dairy industry. The aim of this study was to examine the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of M. agalactiae isolates in France, their evolution over the last 25 years and their relationships with the genetic diversity of isolates and their origin (geographical and animal host).

Staphylococcus aureus from 152 cases of bovine, ovine and caprine mastitis investigated by Multiple-locus variable number of tandem repeat analysis (MLVA).

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the main etiological agents of mastitis in ruminants. In the present retrospective study, we evaluated the potential interest of a previously described automated multiple loci Variable Number of Tandem Repeats (VNTR) Assay (MLVA) comprising 16 loci as a first line tool to investigate the population structure of S. aureus from mastitis.

Experimental infections with Mycoplasma agalactiae identify key factors involved in host-colonization.

Mechanisms underlying pathogenic processes in mycoplasma infections are poorly understood, mainly because of limited sequence similarities with classical, bacterial virulence factors. Recently, large-scale transposon mutagenesis in the ruminant pathogen Mycoplasma agalactiae identified the NIF locus, including nifS and nifU, as essential for mycoplasma growth in cell culture, while dispensable in axenic media. To evaluate the importance of this locus in vivo, the infectivity of two knock-out mutants was tested upon experimental infection in the natural host.

Comparative assessment of two commonly used commercial ELISA tests for the serological diagnosis of contagious agalactia of small ruminants caused by Mycoplasma agalactiae.

Background: Contagious agalactia (CA) of sheep and goats caused by Mycoplasma agalactiae is a widely occurring economically important disease that is difficult to control. The ELISA is commonly used for the serological detection of CA but it has some limitations and the performance of the available tests have not been properly evaluated.Two commercial ELISA kits are widely used, one involving a fusion protein as target antigen and the other a total antigen.

High throughput multiple locus variable number of tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) of Staphylococcus aureus from human, animal and food sources.

Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen, a relevant pathogen in veterinary medicine, and a major cause of food poisoning. Epidemiological investigation tools are needed to establish surveillance of S. aureus strains in humans, animals and food.