An Outbreak of Mycoplasma anatis Infection Associated with Nervous Symptoms in Large‐Scale Duck Flocks

Abstract

A disease associated with central nervous system signs was observed in two duck flocks, each consisting of 6000 three-week-old ducklings, a week after their arrival at the receiving farms.The clinical signs included leg weakness, dyspnoea, diarrhoea, and in many cases disturbance of equilibrium, retrograde movemenr; torticollis and twisting of the neck. Pathological and histopathological examinations revealed lympho-histiocytic meningitis and cerebroventriculitis, airsacculitis with moderate amounts of fibrinous exudate, bronchitis associated with formation of lymphoid follicles, focal or interstitial pneumonia, in some cases with fibrinous serositis, interstitial catarrh and splenomegaly. Large numbers of mycoplasmas were seen by electron microscopy and were isolated from the affected meninges and pericardium.Other diseases were excluded by laboratory examinations. The isolates were identified as Mycoplasma anatis. The pathogenicity and immunogenicity of the strain were investigated in an infection experiment in ducks. Although during this experiment no disease associated with clinical signs or deaths occurred, birds infected into the airsacs or intracranially exhibited pathological lesions similar to, but milder than, those seen in the field outbreak. No immune response was detectable by the serological and cellular tests applied. The pathological significance of M . anatis infection in ducks merits further study.

Isolation of Mycoplasma spp. from Geese with Pneumonia and Identification of Microbial Isolates via Molecular Methods

“…Most of these studies are case reports or sequence and taxonomic analyses of a collection of strains obtained from different periods or locations (Grózner et al, 2019a, b). Nevertheless, although the prevalence of M. gallisepticum and M. synoviae is low, other Mycoplasma species and their prevalence are similar to those described in the aetiology of pneumonia in geese (Benčina et al, 1987;Stipkovits et al, 1987;Ivanics et al, 1988;Stipkovits & Kempf, 1996;Ferguson-Noel et al, 2012;Stipkovits & Szathmary, 2012;Grózner et al, 2016).…”

Detection of Mycoplasma anatis, M. anseris, M. cloacale and Mycoplasma sp. 1220 in waterfowl using species-specific PCR assays

“…The observed pathological changes such as the fibrinous peritonitis and lymphohistiocytic infiltration in the lungs of these geese were similar to the pathological evidences reported for M . anatis- infected ducks [12]. Moreover, 15% (n = 4/26) of the examined clinical specimens from geese were found to be positive for M .…”

“…M . anatis could cause infection associated with neurological symptoms in ducks under stress conditions [12]. Airsacculitis, peritonitis and increased embryo lethality were also described in experimental infection studies in ducks infected with M .…”

Complete Genome Sequences of Mycoplasma anatis, M. anseris, and M. cloacale Type Strains

“… Mycoplasma anatis , M. anseris , and M. cloacale are waterfowl-pathogenic bacteria. M. anatis may cause serious nervous symptoms under stress conditions in ducks ( 1 ), while airsacculitis, peritonitis, and the increase of embryo lethality were described after experimental inoculation of the pathogen ( 2 ). The type strain was isolated from a duck with sinusitis ( 3 ).…”