Mycoplasmaspecies isolated from six avian species

Abstract

SUMMARYMycoplasmas were isolated from chickens, chicken embryos, turkeys, ducks, geese, pigeons and Japanese quail and their embryos. Altogether 792 birds and embryos were examined and 411 of them (52%) were infected with mycoplasmas. Isolates were identified by indirect immunofluorescence using monospecific rabbit antisera against 16 reconised species of avian Mycoplasma (AM) and two species of Acholeplasma. In all 633 strains of Mycoplasma were detected and most of these belonged to recognised AM species. M. anatis was found only in ducks and geese; M. columbinasale, M. columbinum and M. columborale only in pigeons, while M. meleagridis and M. gallopavonis isolates were exclusive to the turkey. M. synoviae was the most frequently isolated species (172 isolates). The host range of M. gallisepticum was the same as M. synoviae but with slightly fewer isolations. M. gallinarum, M. gallinaceum, M. pullorum, M. glycophilum and M. lipofaciens were not uncommon but were mainly confined to the chicken. The exceptions were isolates of M. lipofaciens from a turkey and a duck and an isolate of M. gallinarum from a turkey. M. cloacale was isolated from a chicken, a turkey and a duck. Acholeplasmas and untyped strains were isolated from all the host species except Japanese quail. Isolations of M. synoviae from a pigeon and Japanese quail and M. cloacale from a chicken, are thought to be new findings.

Use of polymerase chain reactions to detectMycoplasma gallisepticum,Mycoplasma imitans,Mycoplasma iowae,Mycoplasma meleagridisandMycoplasma synoviaein birds of prey

“…Apart from chicken and turkey, M. synoviae was isolated from other galliformes (Benčina et al, 1987;Poveda et al, 1990b) as well as from anseriformes (Benčina et al, 1988a,b Tiong, 1990, pigeons (Benčina et al, 1987), and a house sparrow (Passer domesticus) (Poveda et al, 1990b).…”

“…gallisepticum has been isolated from a variety of different avian species, including galliformes (Benčina et al, 2003), anseriformes (Ibrahim et al, 2000), psittaciformes (Bozeman et al, 1984), columbiformes (Benčina et al, 1987), passeriformes Hartup et al, 1998;Mikaelian et al, 2001) and birds of prey (Poveda et al, 1990a,b;Morishita et al, 1997). M. iowae, usually found in turkeys, has been isolated from a range of free-flying birds (Amin, 1977), geese (Lin et al, 1995), a yellow napped amazon (Amazona ochrocephala auropalliata) (Bozeman et al, 1984) and even an apple seed (Grau et al, 1991).…”

Mycoplasma gallisepticumexperimental infection and tissue distribution in chickens, sparrows and pigeons

“…M. gallisepticum was isolated from pigeons kept 20 m from an infected chicken house (Bencina et al, 1987). A serological survey of racing pigeons in Taiwan revealed 1.3% positive results using SPA (Tsai & Lee, 2006); however, this test is not very specific and false positive results are commonly encountered (Kleven, 2008).…”

Test profiles of broiler breeder flocks housed in farms with endemic Mycoplasma synoviae infection

“…In this study, there was no occurrence of other mycoplasmas from the trachea of the birds, such as Mycoplasma gallinarum, Mycoplasma gallinaceum and Mycoplasma pullorum, as previously reported (Bencina et al, 1987;Poveda et al, 1990). Other mycoplasmas with faster growth are one of the possible reason for failure in MS isolation.…”