¹Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Near East University, Mersin-10, 99138, Nicosia, Northern Cyprus, TURKEY
²Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Uludag University, TR-16059 Bursa - TURKEY
³Institute for Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, C/Trasmontaña s/n, Arucas, 35416, Gran Canaria, SPAIN
⁴Animal and Plant Health Agency (Weybridge), Department of Bacteriology, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UNITED KINGDOM DOI : 10.9775/kvfd.2019.22890 Mycoplasma species are a major cause of mastitis, arthritis, pneumonia and reproductive disorders in small ruminants. Mycoplasmas in reproductive systems of males have been associated with diseases as orchitis, balanoposthitis and abnormal spermatozoa activity. The aim of this study was to detect Mycoplasma species that cause reproductive infections in bucks and rams. Total of 27 preputial swabs was collected from Saanen bucks and Kıvırcık rams at the Artificial Insemination (AI) Center of Uludag University in Turkey. Bacteriological culture methods, followed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) were used to detect and identify Mycoplasma species. The PCR-DGGE method identified one M. bovigenitalium and one M. arginini from two cases of orchitis in rams, and another M. bovigenitalium was identified from a buck with no clinical signs. The results showed that Mycoplasma species were present in the testicles of rams and bucks that were negative for Brucellosis, and likely causative organisms of orchitis which lead to reduced fertility. Keywords : Genital Mycoplasmas, PCR-DGGE, Preputial swab, Small ruminant