Aerosol-inducedMycoplasma synoviaearthritis: the synergistic effect of infectious bronchitis virus infection

Abstract

The effect of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) infection (10 4.5 median embryo infective dose per chick) on the induction of Mycoplasma synoviae arthritis was investigated. Mycoplasma-free brown layer pullets, approximately 5 weeks old, were exposed to an aerosol dose of ]/10 2 Á 3 colony-forming units (CFU) of M. synoviae alone or 3 days after inoculation of a field strain of IBV (D1466) by the ocular-nasal route. Chicks injected intravenously with 10 9 CFU M. synoviae served as positive controls. Thirty-one per cent of chicks receiving M. synoviae aerosol alone developed arthritis compared with 50% of those co-infected with IBV. Ninety-five per cent of positive control birds developed arthritis. In a repeat experiment an additional group was exposed to M. synoviae aerosol 3 days after infection with IBV M41 strain. These birds also received two aerosol doses of M. synoviae 14 days apart ( ]/10 0 Á 1 CFU/bird initially and ]/10 1 Á 3 after 14 days). Chicks injected intravenously with 10 6 CFU M. synoviae acted as positive controls. Fifty per cent of the positive controls were re-inoculated intravenously (10 8 CFU) after 14 days. Twenty-one per cent of chicks infected with M. synoviae aerosol developed arthritis compared with 33% of those co-infected with IBV D1466, and 55% of those co-infected with IBV M41. After the single intravenous, low-dose M. synoviae inoculation 11% of birds developed joint lesions, whereas 70% of those receiving the second inoculation developed lesions. These results suggest that IBV may enhance M. synoviae arthritis after aerosol exposure and that the incidence of joint pathology depends on the strain of IBV.

Variable lipoprotein haemagglutinin (vlhA) gene sequence typing of mainly DutchMycoplasma synoviaeisolates: comparison withvlhAsequences from Genbank and with amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis

“…M. synoviae strains able to induce airsacculitis, infectious synovitis and eggshell apex abnormalities (EAA) have been described (Olson et al, 1954;Kleven et al, 1972;Morrow et al, 1990a;Landman & Feberwee, 2001;Kang et al, 2002;Feberwee et al, 2009a;Feberwee & Landman, 2010). Moreover, concurrent infections and adverse climate conditions may enhance the severity of clinical signs and lesions induced by M. synoviae (Kleven et al, 1972;Yoder et al, 1977;Hopkins & Yoder, 1982;Landman & Feberwee, 2004;Raviv et al, 2007;Feberwee et al, 2009a). Trade limitations of M. synoviaeinfected flocks free of clinical disease also represent a factor of economic relevance.…”

IsMycoplasma synoviaeoutrunningMycoplasma gallisepticum? A viewpoint from the Netherlands

“…The incidence of air sac lesions is greatly influenced by co-infection with respiratory viruses and bacteria (Kleven et al, 1972;Springer et al, 1974;Hopkins & Yoder, 1982), environmental factors (Yoder et al, 1977) and/or immunosuppression (Giambrone et al, 1977). The synergism between arthropathic and salpingotropic M. synoviae strains and other respiratory pathogens such as infectious bronchitis virus has also been documented (Landman & Feberwee, 2004;Feberwee & Landman, 2010). Reduced performance as determined by a reduced body weight and poorer feed conversion has also been reported in M. synoviae-infected broilers (Kleven et al, 1972;King et al, 1973;Goren, 1978).…”

EFFICACY OF TYLOSIN TARTRATE ON <i>MYCOPLASMA</i> INFECTIONS AND EGGSHELL APEX ABNORMALITIES IN LAYER HENS UNDER FIELD CONDITIONS

“…It causes respiratory disease and subsequent condemnations due to airsacculitis, although most respiratory tract infections seem to be subclinical. M. synoviae also causes synovitis in chickens and turkeys (Landman and Feberwee, 2004). The effect of M. synoviae infections on egg production by layer chickens remains unclear.…”