Links and interactions between mycoplasmas and viruses: past confusions and present realities

Abstract

Links between mycoplasmas and viruses are ancient, multiple and complex, from past confusions during the first decades of the virus era to present realities illustrated by the possible implication of mycoplasmas as co-factors in natural infections of AIDS. Mycoplasma viruses (phages) may also be responsible for modifying the pathogenic power of mycoplasmas, at least for plants and insects. In addition, several mycoplasmas are able to act as undesirable cell culture contaminants that induce erroneous results in both applied and general virology. These problems are examined within a historical context.

Development and Evaluation of a Combined Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) and Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) Live Vaccine

“…While some mycoplasmas have no effect on virus yield can increase virus yields with arginine-utilizing mycoplasmas can decrease the titer of vaccinia virus [51]. It has been also cited that contamination of chick embryo cells by Mycoplasma gallisepticum markedly affects the in-vitro multiplication of fowlpox virus and modifies the plaque morphology; this mycoplasma decreases the in-vivo infectivity of fowlpox virus for day-old chicks [52,53]. On the other hand, the chronic infection of hamster embryo fibroblasts by M. arginine and M. hyorhinis significantly increased the yield of two arboviruses, vesicular stomatitis (Indiana strain) and Semliki Forest viruses [52].…”

“…It has been also cited that contamination of chick embryo cells by Mycoplasma gallisepticum markedly affects the in-vitro multiplication of fowlpox virus and modifies the plaque morphology; this mycoplasma decreases the in-vivo infectivity of fowlpox virus for day-old chicks [52,53]. On the other hand, the chronic infection of hamster embryo fibroblasts by M. arginine and M. hyorhinis significantly increased the yield of two arboviruses, vesicular stomatitis (Indiana strain) and Semliki Forest viruses [52]. This enhancement resulted from a non-arginine dependent depletion of interferon production induced in infected cells by mycoplasmas.…”

Interactions between Viral and Prokaryotic Pathogens in a Mixed Infection with Cardiovirus and Mycoplasma

“…Prokaryotes, as well as products of their metabolism, are well known to be able to exert a variety of effects on the both innate and adaptive immunity (14,24,41,85,89). In the context of the present study, modulation of virus-cell interactions by mycoplasmas is of special interest (20). Again, a variety of effects of this microorganism on infection with HIV have been described (58).…”