Hoelzle L E
Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 270, Zurich, Switzerland.
Vet Microbiol. 2008 Aug 25;130(3-4):215-26. doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2007.12.023. Epub 2008 Feb 13.
Haemotrophic mycoplasmas (haemoplasmas) are uncultivable, small epicellular, cell wall less, tetracycline-sensitive bacteria that attach to the surface of host erythrocytes. Today, haemotrophic mycoplasmas are found in a large number of animals, with Mycoplasma suis being the porcine pathogen. Haemoplasmas can cause infections which are clinically marked, either by an overt life-threatening haemolytic anaemia or a mild chronic anaemia, by illthrift, infertility, and immune suppression. The life cycle of haemoplasmas on the surface of nucleus-less red blood cells is unique for mycoplasma and therefore, it is evident that these haemotrophic pathogens must have features that allow them to colonise and replicate on red blood cells. However, the mechanisms of adhesion and replication of M. suis on erythrocytes, for instance, as well as the significance of metabolic interchanges between the agent and the target cells, are completely unknown to date. Far from having gained clear insight into the clinical significance of the haemoplasmas, our knowledge about the physiology, genetics, and host-pathogen interaction of this novel group of bacteria within the Mollicutes order is rather limited. This can be explained primarily by the unculturability of these bacteria. The enormous advances in molecular biology witnessed in recent years have had a major impact on several areas of biological sciences, i.e. the fields of modern medical bacteriology and infectious diseases. This review describes progress made in research of the pathobiology of M. suis these past few years.
血营养支原体（血支原体）是一类不可培养的、微小的细胞外、无细胞壁、对四环素敏感的细菌，它们附着于宿主红细胞表面。如今，在大量动物中都发现了血营养支原体，其中猪支原体是猪的病原体。血支原体可引发感染，临床表现为明显的危及生命的溶血性贫血或轻度慢性贫血、生长迟缓、不育和免疫抑制。血支原体在无核红细胞表面的生命周期对于支原体来说是独特的，因此，很明显这些血营养性病原体必定具有使其能够在红细胞上定殖和复制的特征。然而，例如猪支原体在红细胞上的黏附与复制机制，以及病原体与靶细胞之间代谢交换的意义，迄今为止完全未知。我们对血支原体临床意义远未获得清晰的认识，对于这一柔膜菌目新型细菌群的生理学、遗传学以及宿主 - 病原体相互作用的了解相当有限。这主要可以归因于这些细菌不可培养。近年来分子生物学取得的巨大进展对生物科学的多个领域，即现代医学细菌学和传染病领域产生了重大影响。本综述描述了过去几年在猪支原体病理生物学研究方面取得的进展。
