Identification and characterization of novel Mycoplasma spp. belonging to the hominis group from griffon vultures

Mycoplasmas are commensals and pathogens of various avian species, and are also regularly found in birds of prey, although their significance to birds' health remains unclear. Here we describe two novel Mycoplasma isolated from the upper respiratory tract of four Eurasian griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) housed in a wildlife recovery centre in Sardinia (Italy). By sequencing the 16S rRNA gene and the entire 16S/23S intergenic spacer region, the new strains were classified within the Mycoplasma taxonomy at the group and cluster levels, showing that the two isolates fall into the Mycoplasma synoviae and Mycoplasma hominis clusters of the hominis group, respectively. We combined molecular tools and immunoblotting methods in order to further characterize these isolates, and antigenic analyses overall confirmed the molecular findings. Different levels of pathogenicity and prevalence of these strains might have different implications for the conservation and reintroduction of vultures.