Isolation of mycoplasmas from experimental ferrets (Mustela putorius).

A total of 21 apparently healthy experimental ferrets, 8 males and 13 females, comprizing 1, 2 and 3 year-old animals were examined for Mycoplasmatales. Mycoplasmas were isolated from 17 samples of 21 oral cavities (81.0%), and from 2 of 21 nasal cavities (9.5%), but not from the prepuce or vagina of the animals. Neither ureaplasma nor acholeplasma was demonstrated in any of the locations of the ferrets examined. These mycoplasma strains proved to metabolize glucose but not arginine and urea. The growth inhibition test revealed that all the strains had similar antigenicity but were not related antigenically to any reference strains from dogs, cats, sheep, cattle, mice, raccoon dogs and a Japanese badger. They are the first mycoplasmas to be isolated from ferrets.