Abstract: Mycoplasma pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae （MO） is a devastating respiratory disease that puts the sheep industry at risk. MO infection is often insidious and persistent, resulting in reduced productive performance of diseased sheep and serious economic losses in sheep industry. By consulting the recent literature on molecular pathogenic mechanism of MO in China and abroad, we render a review from the following three aspects of adhesion of MO to respiratory epithelial cells, lower respiratory tract injuries caused by MO, and immune suppression induced by MO, in hoping to lay the groundwork for a more in-depth investigation on pathogenic mechanism of MO and for the development of innovative preventative and control strategies.

Key words: Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, pneumonia, pathogenic mechanism