Two Genotypes among ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemobos’ Strains Based on the 16S–23S rRNA Intergenic Spacer Sequences

Abstract

‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemobos’, sometimes causative of bovine infectious anemia at various extents, has been demonstrated throughout the world. Here we show two distinct types of ‘Ca. M. haemobos’ are distributed among cattle in Japan, by examining the primary and secondary structures of the 16S–23S rRNA intergenic spacer region that has been shown to be a stable genetic marker for mycoplasma species. Our results may explain differences in severity of anemic condition as well as provide a genetic marker for an epidemiological study of bovine hemoplasma infections.