Center for Food Security and Public Health,

Iowa State University, 2011

CONTAGIOUS CAPRINE PLEUROPNEUMONIA
(CCPP)

Dr. Mumtaz A Khan

RCVetS
 Introduction
• Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CCPP) is an
extremely contagious disease of goats (rarely sheep)
caused by species of Mycoplasma, and characterized
by the development of mainly Pneumonia signs.
• Because of high morbidity (90%) and mortality (80%)
rates, this disease causes heavy economic losses.
• A similar disease, called as Contagious Bovine
Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is seen in cattle &
buffaloes.
CCPP – is mainly the disease of goats

Center for Food Security and Public Health,

Iowa State University, 2011
 Etiology
• The causative organism of CCPP is called as
Mycoplasma capricolum ssp capripneumoniae
(MCCP), (Mycoplasma biotype F–38).
• It is the most contagious & virulent strain of
Mycoplasma.
• There are many other Mycoplasma spp causing
disease in goats and other animals but are less
virulent than MCCP.
• M. mycoides ssp mycoides (SC), causes CBPP in cattle.
 Mycoplasma
• Kingdom: Bacteria
– Class: Mollicutes (soft skin–lacks cell wall)
• Order: Mycoplasmatales
– Family: Mycoplasmataceae,
» Two genera:Mycoplasma Ureaplasma.
– Mycoplasma have >100 species
• Some of them are pathogenic & others are commensal
– Mycoplasmas – were first collectively called as
Pleuropneumonia-Like Organisms (PPLO)
 Mycoplasma
• Mycoplasma lacks cell wall and are enclosed
by simple cell membrane made of a lipid and
protein bilayer.
• Mycoplasma grow on special media forming
Fried-egg type colonies.
• Mycoplasma are neither G +ive nor G -ive
• They are the smallest know living cells,
having a size of <0.1 micron
 Mycoplasma
• Mycoplasma are only sensitive to those
antibiotics affecting RNA/Protein synthesis, as
Tylosin, Erythromycin, Tetracycline
(Doxycycline, Minocycline), Streptomycin,
Gentamycin, Amikacin, Azithromycin, and
Fluoroquinolone.
• They are resistant to antibiotics affecting cell
wall (e.g. Sulfonamide, Penicillin, Beta lactam
(Cephalosporin) and many others.
Mycoplasma (Fried egg type colonies)
 Mycoplasma
• Mycoplasma genus can be grouped into five
Clades/Clusters, based upon 16s rRNA.
Mycoplasma mycoides,
Mycoplasma pneumoniae,
Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae,
Spiroplasma, and
Bacillus-Phytoplasma.
 Mycoplasma mycoides cluster
Mycoplasma mycoides cluster contains six
ruminant mycoplasmas, 3 of them are;
M. mycoides ssp mycoides - SC,
M. mycoides ssp mycoides - LC and
M. mycoides ssp capri
All these share immunological/ biochemical
properties. This close relationship cause
problems in their diagnosis.
Common Animal Mycoplasma
– M. capricolum ssp capripneumoniae, F-38
– M. capricolum ssp capricolum, cause similar
disease to F-38
– M. mycoides ssp capri, PG-3, cause less acute
disease as compared to above 2,
– M. mycoides ssp mycoides (LC), mild disease in
goats,
– M. mycoides ssp mycoides (SC), mild disease in
cattle
– M. ovipneumoniae, coughing disease in sheep
Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CCPP)

• MCCP (Strain F-38), is a cause of classical

Mycoplasmosis (Pneumonia).
– It is an extremely contagious disease of small
ruminants, i.e. goats, rarely sheep.
– Characterized by signs of per-acute (acute, sub-acute
or chronic) Pneumonia,
– Heavy economic losses due to it high morbidity and
mortality rates,
– At PM examination, classical fibrinous-
pleuropneumonia could be identifies.
Geographical distribution of CCPP
 Transmission
• Transmission of CCPP occurs through
inhalation of infected respiratory droplets,
particularly when more animals are housed
together.
• Infected and sub-clinical (carriers) animals are
the source of transmission.
• The incubation period is often 6–10 days,
though, it is sometimes as long as 3–4 weeks.
CCPP spreads through aerosols
 Clinical signs
• The CCPP is commonly seen as per-acute, acute and
chronic forms.
• The clinical signs of CCPP are mainly of respiratory tract
(Pneumonia) origin.
• The per-acute disease;
 There may be high fever (105-106 F) and severe depressions,
 Prominent signs of severe pneumonia (as dyspnea, coughing
and nasal discharge).
 Death may occur within 2-3 days, particularly in young
animals.
 Clinical signs
• The acute form of disease;
 There may be moderate fever, and
depression,
 Signs of severe pneumonia (violent
coughing, labored breathing, and frothy
nasal discharge).
 In this form, death may occur within 7–10
days.
 Clinical signs
• The chronic form of disease;
 There will be signs of chronic cough
(seen in the morning and at running),
mild sticky nasal discharge and
progressive weight loss.
 Mortality is low but affected animals
continue loosing weight even with good
plan of nutrition.
 CCPP - Diagnosis
• History of highly contagious and severe pneumonia
with high morbidity and mortality,
• Isolation of M. capricolum ssp capripneumoniae from
the nasal discharge or tracheal washing,
• Presence of Mycoplasma antibodies at serological
analysis,
• Typical PM Lesions, restricted to lung and pleura, as
Pleuropneumonia.
• There is no enlargement/dilatation of the interlobular
septa of the lung with MCCP infection.
 CCPP Diagnosis
• MCCP F–38 infection can be identified by;
Typical colony characteristics,
Immunofluorescence &
Immunohistochemistry using specific
antisera,
PCR and ELISA,
Others
 Post Mortem Lesions, MCCP
• Mainly both lungs involves
• Granular lung appearance
• Pea–sized yellow colored
nodules
• Congestion of lungs
• Fibrinous pneumonia,
excessive straw color fluid
in chest cavity
 Post Mortem Lesions, MCCP
• Adhesions to chest wall,
• Thickened pulmonary pleura
• Chronic changes
– Pleuropneumonia
– Pleuritis & thick pleura
– Adhesions to chest wall
 Histopathology CCPP
• Necrosis of pulmonary parenchyma (with loss of
details)
• Infiltration of neutrophils, lymphocytes and other
cells in the alveoli, bronchioles, interstitial septa
and connective tissues.
• Peri-bronchial and peribronchiolar lymphoid
hyperplasia (with type II pneumocytes) and
mononuclear cell infiltration is present in chronic
cases
 Differential Diagnosis
• Pasteurellosis
• Peste Des Petits Ruminants
• Contagious (Caseous) lymphadenitis
• Mycoplasma mycoides ssp. mycoides LC
type causing mild but chronic
Pneumonia.
• Other Mycoplasma infections.
 MMC - PG-3
• The clinical disease may be acute to sub-acute,
• PM lesions similar to CCPP caused by MCCP, but
less acute,
• Lung lesions, often unilateral, fibrinous
pneumonia with hepatization and
enlargement/dilatation of interlobular septa.
• PG-3 can also cause encephalitis, meningitis,
splenitis, lymphadenitis, and urogenital tract
and intestinal lesions.
 M. capricolum ssp capricolum

• This mycoplasma causes disease

which is closely related to
mycoplasma F–38
• It can cause acute Pneumonia,
Mastitis, Septicemia, and
Polyarthritis in goats.
 M. mycoides ssp mycoides - LC
• This Mycoplasma is pathogenic to goats
(and sheep),
• It can cause Septicemia, polyarthritis,
Mastitis, Encephalitis, Conjunctivitis,
Hepatitis, and occasionally Pneumonia.
• The disease is sub-acute to
chronic in nature.
 M. mycoides ssp mycoides (SC)

• This Mycoplasma causes Contagious

Bovine Pleuropneumonia, CBPP.
• It causes very similar disease in cattle as
CCPP in goats.
 M. ovipneumoniae

• This Mycoplasma affect sheep only

• It can cause acute to chronic respiratory
disease (coughing pneumonia)
• At PM examination, there could be presence
of hepatization & consolidation of lungs
 Animal mycoplasmas - Overview
Mycoplasma Hosts Organ affected
• M. capricolum capripneumoniae Goat (Sheep) Lungs/CCPP
• M. capricolum capricolum Goat/Sheep Joints/Lungs/Udder
• M. mycoides capriGoat (Sheep) Lungs, Joints, Eyes,
• M. mycoides mycoides LCGoat (Sheep) Lungs, Udder, Joints, Eyes
• M. mycoides mycoides SCCattle/Buff Lungs, CBPP
• M. bovis Cattle/Buff Udder (Chronic Mastitis)
• M. ovipneumoniae Sheep/Goat Lungs (coughing disease)
• M. conjunctivae Sheep/Goats Eyes (Kerato-Conjunctivitis)
• M. agalactiae Sheep/Goats Udder, joints, eyes.
• M. putrefaciens Goats (Sheep) Udder, joints
 Treatment
• Specific Treatment
– Use of Antibiotics;
• Antibiotics are affective in the treatment of
CCPP. If started earlier - complete recovery
from the disease may be possible.
• Some of affective antibiotics are Tylosin,
Erythromycin, Tetracycline (Doxycycline,
Minocycline), Streptomycin, Gentamycin,
Amikacin, Azithromycin, and Fluoroquinolone.
 Treatment
• Symptomatic treatment
– Antipyretics, if high fever
– Anti-inflammatory/anti-histaminic
drugs, if severe Pneumonia
– Antitussives, to treat acute cough
Early treatment can make the
difference
 Control/Prevention
• Effective Quarantine and Biosecurity measures
are useful for the control of CCPP at farms.
• In Endemic areas, regular vaccination,
annually, is effective for the prevention of
CCPP.
• Test and slaughter policy may be adopted to
keep the disease out of farm (applied in some
countries).
Thanks