Pulmonary Mycoplasmosis in farmed white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

Abstract

An outbreak of respiratory disease at a farmed cervid facility resulted in isolation and identification of Mycoplasma bovis in four affected white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawns. Microscopically, pulmonary lesions similar to those associated with M. bovis infections in calves, including lymphoplasmacytic, peribronchiolar cuffing and caseonecrotic bronchiectasis, were present. Arcanobacterium pyogenes was recovered from lung tissue as well. This report indicates that M. bovis can be associated with respiratory disease in white-tailed deer. © Wildlife Disease Association 2004.