The First Report of Mycoplasmas in Antarctic Pinnipeds: The Results of a Survey

The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of <i>Mycoplasma</i> spp. and their identification in seals from Antarctica. During January and February 2010, 59 Antarctic fur seals (<i>Arctocephalus gazella</i>), 17 Weddell seals (<i>Leptonychotes weddellii</i>), and 5 Southern elephant seals (<i>Mirounga leonina</i>) were captured in three Antarctic islands. Oral and genital samples were collected, cultured, and cloned. The Intergenic Spacer Region 16S-23S rDNA (ISR) PCR products were sent for sequencing. Seventy-four (91.4%) out of the eighty-one seals sampled were PCR positive. From those, 57 isolates were cultured. Mycoplasmas were more prevalent in the mouth in comparison to the reproductive tract. The percentage of isolates were 76.3%, 58.8%, and 40.0% for Antarctic fur seals, Weddell seals, and Southern elephant seals, respectively. The ISR sequences divided the isolates into six clusters. Four clusters presented a very high similarity percentage with mycoplasma sequences obtained from seals. However, none of these mycoplasmas have been described to date. Cluster 1 is also close to <i>M. miroungigenitalium</i>. This study represents the first report of <i>Mycoplasma</i> species adapted to Antarctic pinnipeds. The findings contribute to the understanding of the ecology of mycoplasmas in Antarctic pinnipeds.