Mycoplasma infection of the respiratory tract of goats is prevalent worldwide including the South Asian sub -continent. Owing to intensive and large scale goat farming, the incidence of the disease is on an increase. Among various species of mycoplasma, Mycoplasma capricolum subspecies Capri pneumoniae is increasingly incriminated in Contagious Caprine Pleurapneumonia ( CCPP ) in goat populations with considerable economic fallout in the form of high morbidity and mortality. The disease manifestations in caprines are recorded as anorexia, high febrile reaction and respiratory embarrassment in the shape of clinical dyspnoea, polypnea, paroxysmal cough and sero-purulent nasal discharges. The disease is thus contracted by the healthy animals through aerosol, contaminated feed and water sources in the herd premises, without a protective immunity and that the conferred immunity in recovered cases being short-lived. The true lesions of CCPP are confined to the lung alveolar tissues of infected goats, which distinguish it from other respiratory diseases of small ruminants caused by the members of the Mycoplasma mycoides cluster. Atypical pneumonia caused by the mycoplasma infection of goats, also known as Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia ( CCPP ) has been more often reported from Africa and Asia than Europe. Classical, acute CCPP attributed to Mycoplasma capricolum subsp . Capri pneumoniae , originally known asthe F38 biotype (World Organisation for Animal Health, 2008) causes heavy kid mortality. Two other organisms in this group, M. mycoides subsp . capri and M. mycoides subsp . mycoides large -colony type, can cause disease in small ruminants that clinico-pathologically mimics CCPP but may have extra pulmonary signs and lesions, sometimes. Mycoplasma Capri pneumoniae and other members of the M. mycoides cluster cross -react in serological tests and share biochemical and genetic similarities. The most favourable epidemiological scenario in the Sub -continent is the hot humid climate during monsoons. The diversity and multietiological subspecies involved in the disease is detrimental in the development of an effective vaccine even though in some places a liquid vaccine is presently in use. At other places, anti-mycoplasmal antibiotics of aminoglycoside and fluoroquinolone and perhaps the macrolide groups remain to be the main option in preventing flock mortalities.
