Spiroplasma
Human pathogenicity
Human pathogenicity
-------------------

There is some disputed evidence for the role of spiroplasmas in the [etiology](/wiki/Etiology "Etiology") of [transmissible spongiform encephalopathies](/wiki/Transmissible_spongiform_encephalopathy "Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy") (TSEs), due primarily to the work of [Frank Bastian](/wiki/Frank_O._Bastian "Frank O. Bastian"), summarized below. Other researchers have failed to replicate this work, while the [prion](/wiki/Prion "Prion") model for TSEs has gained very wide acceptance. A 2006 study appears to refute the role of spiroplasmas in the best small animal [scrapie](/wiki/Scrapie "Scrapie") model (hamsters). Bastian et al. (2007\) have responded to this challenge with the isolation of a spiroplasma species from scrapie\-infected tissue, grown it in cell\-free culture, and demonstrated its infectivity in ruminants.


Is it possible to infect ruminants with a spiroplasma species?