Field isolates of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae exhibit distinct cytopathic effects in ovine tracheal organ cultures.

Ovine tracheal ring explants were infected with four different Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae and one M. arginini field isolate and their ability to induce cytopathic effects was tested by measuring ciliary activity and intracellular calmodulin release. Infected tracheal rings showed significantly decreased ciliary activity as compared to the non-infected control rings. There were, however, marked differences between isolates in the onset and severity of the effects which correlated with their ability to produce hydrogen peroxide. Infected tracheal rings released more calmodulin than the non-infected controls. The amount of calmodulin released also varied between isolates, and somewhat reflected the degree of loss of ciliary activity in the corresponding rings induced by the different isolates. Light and electron microscopic examinations of infected tracheal rings revealed disorganisation and sloughing of the epithelium, and association of mycoplasmas only with the cilia. Following repeated in vitro passages, the organisms had reduced ability to inhibit ciliary activity which correlated with decreased hydrogen peroxide production. Addition of catalase to the organ cultures delayed loss of ciliary activity. These results suggest that M. ovipneumoniae induced ciliostasis in ovine tracheal ring explants which correlated with hydrogen peroxide production. Furthermore, these M. ovipneumoniae-induced injuries to respiratory epithelial cells could contribute to the role that this organism may play in sheep respiratory disease.