Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Alpaca health · Infectious diseases

Mycoplasma haemolamae (CMhl) in Alpacas

Updated 2026-10-02By the Dreamcatcher Alpacas editorial team6 peer-reviewed references
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Book a vet visit soon

Not usually an emergency, but it needs a diagnosis and a plan.

A tiny bacterium that lives on red blood cells. Many carriers are healthy, but stress or other disease can trigger anemia.

Category
Infectious diseases
Urgency
Book a vet visit soon
Also called
Eperythrozoon, CMhl

Signs & symptoms

  • Pale gums, weakness (anemia)
  • Weight loss
  • Fever
  • Signs often appear alongside another illness

Related symptom guides: Pale Gums or Eyelids (Anemia), Fever (High Temperature).

What causes it?

Candidatus Mycoplasma haemolamae, transmitted by blood: shared needles, biting insects, and from dam to cria in utero.

Risk factors

  • Immunosuppression, heavy parasite loads, stress
  • Shared needles or equipment

How vets diagnose it

PCR test on blood.

Treatment

Antibiotics prescribed by your vet and treatment of the underlying problem; infection may not be fully cleared.

Prevention

  • One needle per animal
  • Control parasites and stress

Research & references

PubMed lists 21 peer-reviewed papers on this topic in camelids. The most relevant include:

  1. Clinical and hematological findings in alpacas (Vicugna pacos) with and without Candidatus Mycoplasma haemolamae infection. Wagener MG, Neubert S, Kiene F et al. Scientific reports, 2024. PubMed 39215118 · DOI · Free full textOpen access · cited 3×
  2. Mycoplasma haemolamae infection in a 4-day-old cria: support for in utero transmission by use of a polymerase chain reaction assay. Almy FS, Ladd SM, Sponenberg DP et al. The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne, 2006. PubMed 16604978 · cited 20×
  3. Molecular survey and genetic characterization of 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemolamae' in llamas (Lama glama) and alpacas (Vicugna pacos) from Southern Chile. Ramos P, Sepulveda-Garcia P, Alabí A et al. Acta tropica, 2021. PubMed 34273307 · DOI · cited 7×
  4. Occurrence of viral and bacterial pathogens in South American camelids in representative German flocks. Menge C, Barth SA, Bartl EM et al. Frontiers in veterinary science, 2026. PubMed 41908956 · DOI · Free full textOpen access · cited 2×
  5. Molecular survey of hemoplasmas in asymptomatic vicunas (Vicugna vicugna) from the Pampa Galeras Bárbara D'Achille National Reserve in Peru. Gomez-Puerta LA, Olazabal J, Paredes S et al. Acta tropica, 2024. PubMed 37956821 · DOI · cited 1×
  6. Mycoplasma haemolamae and intestinal parasite relationships with erythrocyte variables in clinically healthy alpacas and llamas. Viesselmann LC, Videla R, Schaefer J et al. Journal of veterinary internal medicine, 2019. PubMed 31454105 · DOI · Free full textOpen access · cited 13×

Frequently asked questions

What is mycoplasma haemolamae (CMhl) in alpacas?
A tiny bacterium that lives on red blood cells. Many carriers are healthy, but stress or other disease can trigger anemia.
What are the signs of mycoplasma haemolamae (CMhl)?
Pale gums, weakness (anemia), weight loss, fever and signs often appear alongside another illness.
How do you prevent mycoplasma haemolamae (CMhl)?
One needle per animal. Control parasites and stress.
Is mycoplasma haemolamae (CMhl) an emergency?
Book a vet visit soon. Not usually an emergency, but it needs a diagnosis and a plan.

This page is educational and does not replace advice from a veterinarian who has examined your animals. Camelid medicine uses many drugs “extra-label”, so dosing must come from your vet. In an emergency, call your vet first. Read our disclaimer · How we write and review content.