title: Mycoplasma species isolated from harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) and a Sowerby's beaked whale (Mesoplodon bidens) stranded in Scottish waters.
abstract: Mycoplasma species were recovered from 10 cetacean carcasses that stranded around Scotland. Mycoplasma phocicerebrale was isolated from the lungs of three harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) as well as from the liver of one of these animals. Novel Mycoplasma spp. were isolated from the lungs of five additional harbor porpoises and the kidney of another. In addition an isolate closely related to Mycoplasma species 13CL was obtained from the kidney of a Sowerby's beaked whale (Mesoplodon bidens). The role of these Mycoplasma species in the disease of cetaceans, their host specificity, diversity, and any relation to cetacean strandings are unknown.
authors.affiliation: Scottish Agricultural College Consulting Veterinary Services, Drummondhill, Stratherrick Road, Inverness IV2 4JZ, United Kingdom. geoffrey.foster@sac.co.uk
authors.forename: Geoffrey
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McAuliffe
authors.forename: Mark P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Dagleish
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barley
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Howie
authors.forename: Robin A J
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Nicholas
authors.forename: Roger D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Ayling
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007668:Kidney / Q000382:microbiology; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014426:Turtles / Q000382:microbiology*; D014907:Whales / Q000382:microbiology*