SURVIVAL OF MYCOPLASMAS INOCULATED IN HORSE SERA

Although it is known that commercialized bovine serum is sometimes con taminated with mycoplasmas, it is not clear whether mycoplasmas can su rvive in horse serum. In this study, as a preliminary examination of t he survival of mycoplasmas inoculated in horse sera, the survivability of 8 strains of 7 mycoplasmas was tested. The results obtained reveal that two strains of M. bovis and M. gallisepticum were found to survi ve in non-heated and inactivated sera for 94 to 330 days at 30 or 37 d egrees C. Three strains of M. bovirhinis, M. gateae and A. laidlawii l ived for 7 to 330 days depending upon the temperature maintained or pH of the serum. Strains of M. bovigenitalium and U. diversum survived f or a maximum of 8 days in all horse sera tested. Therefore, mycoplasma s are generally likely to survive for a long period in horse serum alt hough the survival period depends on the species, strain and temperatu re.