Caprine pneumonia. II. Biochemical characterisation and serological identification of mycoplasmas.

Thirty strains Mycoplasma isolated from pneumonic lungs of goats were chracterised biochemically and serologically. On the basis of biochemical characteristics, the strains were divided into three groups. (A) Eighteen strains which fermented glucose and mannose, digested serum and reduced tetrazolium, (B) 10 strains which reduced tetrazolium, formed "film and spots" and possessed phosphatase activity and (C) two strains which catabolised arginine only. Serologically group A strains were identified as M. mycoides subspecies, group B strains could not be fully identified but on the basis of immunofluorescence and biochemical reactions were put in the M. agalactiae subspecies; there are to be further investigated. Group C strains were identified as M. arginini.