Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia in Cattle: CBPP Signs, Spread, and Control

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, or CBPP, is a serious bacterial lung disease of cattle caused by Mycoplasma mycoides. It mainly affects the lungs and the lining around the lungs, leading to severe pneumonia and pleuritis. The disease is well known for causing major herd losses where it is present, and it remains an important reportable livestock disease worldwide.

CBPP spreads most efficiently when cattle are in close contact and inhale droplets released by coughing animals. One challenge is that not every infected animal looks obviously sick. Some cattle develop milder or chronic disease and may continue to carry infection in the lungs, which makes herd control harder.

For U.S. producers, this condition is especially important because the United States is considered free of CBPP. That means any suspected case needs urgent veterinary attention and immediate reporting through your vet and animal health officials. Fast action protects both the affected herd and the wider cattle industry.

CBPP is caused by Mycoplasma mycoides, a bacterium that targets the respiratory tract. Unlike many common cattle respiratory infections, this organism is strongly associated with severe fibrinous pneumonia and pleuritis. The disease is spread mainly by direct contact between infected and susceptible cattle through inhaled respiratory droplets.

Crowding, prolonged close contact, transport stress, and mixing cattle from different sources can all increase the chance of spread. The biggest herd challenge is that some animals develop subacute or chronic infection rather than dramatic illness. These cattle may continue to harbor infected lung tissue, sometimes called sequestra, and can contribute to ongoing transmission.

CBPP is not known to be a human health risk. Still, it is a major animal health and regulatory concern. In countries free of the disease, introduction usually happens through infected animals rather than contaminated equipment, because the organism does not survive well in the environment.

Your vet starts with the basics: herd history, recent animal movement, the pattern of illness in the group, and a physical exam. CBPP can look like other serious cattle respiratory diseases, so diagnosis cannot rely on signs alone. Severe unilateral pleuritis, painful breathing, and characteristic lung lesions at necropsy can raise suspicion.

Laboratory confirmation is important. Depending on the case, samples may include pleural fluid, lung tissue, lung washings, nasal swabs, or necropsy specimens. Common testing approaches include PCR, culture or isolation of the organism, and serologic tests such as complement fixation or ELISA used in herd investigations.

In the United States, suspected CBPP is a regulatory event, not only a medical one. If your vet suspects this disease, they should involve state and federal animal health officials immediately so testing, movement controls, and herd response can begin without delay.

Prevention starts with biosecurity and movement control. Work with your vet to limit introduction risk when buying, transporting, or mixing cattle. Quarantine new arrivals, review source-herd health information, and watch closely for fever, cough, or breathing changes before animals join the resident group.

If respiratory disease appears, separate affected cattle quickly and reduce nose-to-nose contact as much as practical. Good ventilation, lower stocking density, and minimizing transport or handling stress can also help reduce spread of respiratory pathogens within a herd.

In regions where CBPP is present, official control programs may include surveillance, vaccination campaigns, movement restrictions, and culling of infected herds. In countries free of CBPP, prevention depends heavily on rapid recognition and reporting. If your herd has suspicious signs, contact your vet immediately rather than trying to manage it as a routine pneumonia outbreak.