Molecular Prevalence of Hemotropic Mycoplasmosis and Associated Risk Factors for Co-Infection with Gastrointestinal Nematode in Anemic Meat Goats of Northeast Thailand

Hemotropic mycoplasmosis is an emerging vector-borne infection in goats caused by hemotropic mycoplasmas, which leads to anemia, poor growth, abortion, and reduced productivity. In Northeastern Thailand, smallholder meat goat systems expose animals to blood-feeding vectors and gastrointestinal parasites; however, epidemiological data on these issues are limited. This study examined the prevalence of hemotropic mycoplasmosis, its co-infection with gastrointestinal parasites, and the associated risk factors in anemic goats. PCR and sequence analyses confirmed the presence of <i>Mycoplasma ovis</i>, <i>Candidatus</i> Mycoplasma haematobovis and <i>Candidatus</i> Mycoplasma haematovis, with herd-level and individual-level prevalences of all hemotropic mycoplasmas (HMs) at 93.3% (14/15; 95% CI: 68.1-99.8%) and 59.8% (52/87; 95% CI: 48.7-70.1%), respectively. <i>Ca.</i> M. haematobovis was identified as the predominant species. Multivariable analysis indicated that age ≥ 1 year is a significant risk factor for HM infection (adjusted OR: 9.88; 95% CI: 1.73-56.48; <i>p =</i> 0.01). Co-infection between HM and gastrointestinal nematodes was found to be associated with age (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Effective management requires targeted selective treatment, post-treatment monitoring of infection status, vector control, and farmer education on zoonotic risks. These findings provide critical insights for designing evidence-based surveillance, control, and prevention strategies to improve goat health and productivity in smallholder tropical systems.