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N F Friis

Publications and source records attributed to N F Friis.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Isolation of Mycoplasma flocculare from swine in the United States.

During 1977 to 1980, Mycoplasma flocculare was isolated from the lungs of 7 swine in the United States. Two of the swine were from a single Alabama herd, 1 was from Minnesota, 2 were from different Illinois herds, and 2 were from different Indiana herds. Three of the swine were from specific-pathogen-free herds and 4 were from conventional herds. The lungs from the 7 swine had gross lesions typical of mycoplasmal pneumonia. Two lungs yielded a mixture of M flocculare and M hyopneumoniae; the remaining 5 yielded M flocculare alone.

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Some recommendations concerning primary isolation of Mycoplasma suipneumoniae and Mycoplasma flocculare a survey.

Two mycoplasma species of the porcine respiratory tract: Mycoplasma suipneumoniae and Mycoplasma flocculare, have been notoriously difficult to cultivate. In the present paper a description is given of a new medium with which primary isolation of these organisms is usually successful. The basal medium is made from commercial dehydrated products. Pig serum is added and phenol red used as pH indicator. Contrary to what is customary in the preparation of mycoplasma media, various inorganic salts (Hank's balanced salt solution) are included and penicillin-G replaced as a bacteriostatic by bacitracin and meticillin. The volume of water is adjusted so as to give isotonia. Various additives often recommended for mycoplasma cultivation have been examined for growth promoting effect; apparently, however, they were all without effect. Working procedures for primary isolation trials are briefly described.

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[Mycoplasms of the swine--A review].

The mycoplasmas constitute a group of microorganisms placed between bacteria and virus. The name, Mycoplasma, is derived from the mycelial morphology of the organisms. The minimal reproductive unit, the elementary body, measures 0.2-0.5 mum. Unlike bacteria, mycoplasmas are not confined by a rigid cell wall, but just by a thin membrane. For their cultivation, though common bacteriological technique is adequate, especially enriched media are required. Antibiotics, as a rule penicillins, are added to the medium for inhibition of bacteria. Up to the present, 5 porcine species of mycoplasma are known: Mycoplasma suipneumoniae, Mycoplasma hyorhinis, Mycoplasma hyosynoviae, Mycoplasma flocculare, and Acholeplasma granularum. The 4 species first mentioned are very common among swine in Denmark. A. granularum has not been demonstrated so far. Occasionally, other species of mycoplasma are found in swine. M. suipneumoniae is by far the most important porcine mycoplasma, being to-day regarded as the primary etiologic agent in porcine enzootic pneumonia. A pure mycoplasma infection usually results in only weak clinical signs of pneumonia, but the disease may be aggravated by secondary factors as bacteria, parasites, and bad housing conditions. Enzootic pneumonia is usually prevalent only in fattening units, where it tends to persist indefinitely. The mycoplasma infection is practically incurable. Control of the disease is attempted by the SPF-program launched by the Danish Meat Research Institute, Roskilde. In this connexion the high sensitivity of mycoplasmas to physico-chemical influence is of advantage, because it results in a low rate of survival of the organisms outside the host. A further advantage is afforded by the fast that M. suipneumoniae is a definitely swine-specific organism. The rest of the porcine mycoplasmas are of far lesser importance. Yet, M. hyorhinis may produce a sero-fibrinous inflammation of serous cavities and joints in pigs less than 10 weeks old, and M. hyosynoviae may produce arthritis in fattening pigs.

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