Beschreibung:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Horizontal transmission of <jats:italic>Mycoplasma suis</jats:italic> via parenteral exposure during standard practices or through bites during fightings have been identified as key epidemiological routes. However, as knowledge gaps on other potential shedding and transmission routes exist, the present study combines both laboratory experiments and field surveys to gain new insights into the epidemiology of porcine haemotrophic mycoplasmas. Splenectomised pigs were orally inoculated with a <jats:italic>M. suis</jats:italic> field strain and investigated for clinical signs related to infectious anaemia of pigs (IAP) and the presence of <jats:italic>M. suis</jats:italic> in blood, urine and saliva samples by qPCR. All blood samples were negative for <jats:italic>M. suis</jats:italic> and animals did not show obvious clinical signs of IAP throughout the entire study period. Additionally, urine, nasal and saliva samples from sows of conventional piglet producing farms and semen samples from a boar stud revealed no detection of <jats:italic>M. suis</jats:italic> and ‘<jats:italic>Candidatus</jats:italic> Mycoplasma haemosuis’ by qPCR. Thus, the results indicate that blood-independent transmission routes might be of minor relevance under field conditions.</jats:p>