Comparison of three methods of differentiating bovine mycoplasma.

Growth inhibition (GI) by specific antisera, direct fluorescent antibody technique (FAT), and fatty-acid profile analysis by gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) were compared as methods for identifying 13 strains of bovine mycoplasma. By the FAT, there were 8 bilateral and 13 unilateral cross reactions. In the GI study, there were 4 bilateral and 7 unilateral cross reactions. In both FAT and GI studies, there were fluorescence and inhibition, respectively, with 13 homologous antisera. Analysis by GLC revealed the 13 mycoplasmas could be placed into 4 distinct chromatographic groupings. The GLC profiles of 2 organisms were sufficiently unique that they could be used for specific identification.