Affected animals normally have generalised signs such as depression, dullness, weakness and lethargy, pyrexia and weight loss and decreased production. They will also have respiratory signs including bilateral nasal discharge, dyspnoea, tachypnoea and coughing. Occasionally the only sign seen is sudden death.

Typical pathological lesions are very suggestive of the disease - they are localised exclusively to the lung and pleura. Lungs are normally a port wine colour and abundant pleural exudate and pleuritis and adhesions are common. The pleural exudates may have solidified forming a gelatinous covering.

Histological examination of the lung tissues may show acute serofibrinous to chronic fibrino-necrotic pleuropneumonia with neutrophilic inflammation in the alveoli, bronchioles, interstitial septae and subpleural connective tissue.

Contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP) is a cause of major economic losses to goat producers in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Disease is caused by members of the Mycoplasma genus - usually "Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum" but sometimes by "M. mycoides" subsp. "capri" or "M. mycoides" subsp. "mycoides". It is extremely contagious with very high morbidity and mortality rates, causing an interstitial fibrinous pleuropneumonia in infected goats. Infection is spread by close-contact aerosol, therefore overcrowding and confinement increases disease incidence. Stress factors such as malnutrition and long transport can also predispose animals to disease.

Goats are the only species affected, therefore the disease is not a zoonosis. There is no age breed or sex predilection, but clinical signs are often worse in younger animals.