Effect of a liveMycoplasma synoviaevaccine on the production of eggshell apex abnormalities induced by aM. synoviaeinfection preceded by an infection with infectious bronchitis virus D1466

Abstract

An experimental study was conducted to assess the effect of a live Mycoplasma synoviae vaccine (Vaxsafe † MS; Bioproperties Pty Ltd, Ringwood, Victoria, Australia) on M. synoviae-induced eggshell apex abnormalities (EAA). Four experimental groups of specified-pathogen-free white laying hens were made. All groups were inoculated with infectious bronchitis virus D1466 at 18 weeks of age. One group did not receive further treatment (non-vaccinated non-challenged (NVNC)). Two groups were vaccinated at 14 weeks of age against M. synoviae, and one of these groups was also challenged with an EAA-inducing M. synoviae strain 5 days after infectious bronchitis virus challenge (vaccinated non-challenged (VNC) and vaccinated challenged group (VC), respectively). The fourth group was not vaccinated but was challenged with M. synoviae (non-vaccinated challenged (NVC)). Eggs with EAA were produced only in the NVC and VC groups. However, the proportion of eggs with EAA and the mean daily production of eggs with EAA per chicken was significantly lower (PB0.05) in the VC group (88/741 (11.9%) and 0.0990.01 eggs per hen) compared with the NVC group (148/646 (22.9%) and 0.1490.01 eggs per hen). The mean daily egg production per chicken was significantly lower in the NVC group (0.4890.03 eggs) compared with that of the NVNC group (0.6090.03 eggs), but not significantly different from other groups. The eggshell strength of eggs with EAA (22.8 N) was significantly lower (PB0.05) than non-affected eggs from the other groups (33.7 to 39.5 N). Furthermore, the eggshell strength of non-affected eggs in the NVC group was significantly lower (PB0.05) compared with that of non-affected eggs from the flock of origin (33.7 versus 41.2 N), but not different from the other groups. It can be concluded from the present study that vaccination with a live M. synoviae vaccine reduces the occurrence of M. synoviae-induced EAA significantly.

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

“…Sequencing of the vlhA gene of the first M. synoviae isolate able to induce EAA showed a 12 bp insertion (Feberwee et al, 2009b). Results from the present study and comparisons with sequences from Genbank demonstrated that this 12 bp insertion is not unique to EAA isolates, but is also found in isolates obtained from inflamed joints.…”

Eggshell apex abnormalities in a free-range hen farm with mycoplasma synoviae and infectious bronchitis virus in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil

“…Previous studies reported EAA incidence of 1.3% in an intensive layer farm in Italy (Catania et al, 2010), 25% in layers housed on the floor in The Netherlands (Feberwee et al, 2009b) and 22.9% in challenged SPF layers (Feberwee et al, 2009a).…”

“…A MS strain was isolated from the oviduct of hens producing eggs with EAA and yielded the same abnormalities after experimental infection (Feberwee et al, 2009b). It was also shown that antibiotic treatment and vaccination against MS reduced the incidence of EAA (Feberwee et al, 2009a;Feberwee et al, 2009b;Catania et al, 2010). Nevertheless, despite these very distinctive characteristics, EAA may not be necessarily pathognomonic of infections by any specific pathogen (Strugnell et al, 2011).…”

The effect of eggshell apex abnormalities on table egg quality during storage in 2 seasons of the year

“…The param eter th at had the most variation was eggshell thickness a t the apex; hence, it can be inferred th a t the lower eggshell strength was mostly related to the lower eggshell thick ness at the apex. Feberwee et al (2009a) also observed a reduction of 32.34 to 34.86% in the eggshell strength of EAA eggs from hens experimentally infected with M. synoviae. It should be highlighted th a t normal eggs from hens infected with M. synoviae are also affected and also have a lower eggshell strength (Feberwee et al, 2009a;Gole et al, 2012;Silva et al, 2012).…”