The Avian Major Histocompatibility Complex Influences Bacterial Skeletal Disease in Broiler Breeder Chickens

Abstract

Abstract. This study evaluated bacterial skeletal disease in conjunction with the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in a genetically pure line of broiler breeder chickens. Chickens from six broiler breeder flocks were examined for skeletal lesions, bacterial pathogens, and MHC genotype. During a 10-week period, eightyeight, 9-to 21-week-old lame chickens and 34 normal, age-matched controls were selected. Tenosynovitis, arthritis, and femoral or tibiotarsal (or both) osteomyelitis occurred in 86 of 88 (97.7%) lame chickens. Ninetyfive bacterial isolates were obtained from 83 of 88 (94.3%) lame birds and 4 of 34 (11.8%) controls. Staphylococcus spp. was isolated from 72.6% of the skeletal lesions, predominantly Staphylococcus aureus (38.9%). MHC B complex genotypes were determined by hemagglutination for 88 lame birds, 34 controls, and 200 randomly selected birds from each of the six flocks (1,200 total). Combined chi-square analysis revealed that the homozygous MHC genotypes B A4/A4 ( 2 ϭ 14.54, P ϭ 0.0063) and B A12/A12 ( 2 ϭ 42.77, P ϭ 0.0001) were overrepresented in the sample of symptomatic birds compared with random samples from the same flocks. The homozygous A4 and A12 MHC genotypes influenced flock chi-square values more than the corresponding heterozygotes. An MHC B complex influence on bacterial skeletal disease was apparent in this line of broiler breeders.

Molecular Survey of Bacterial Communities Associated with Bacterial Chondronecrosis with Osteomyelitis (BCO) in Broilers

“…The genera overrepresented in BCO samples include Staphylococcus , Enterobacter , Serrotia and Nitrincola . Interestingly, the genus Staphylococcus was detected repeatedly in BCO samples in previous studies using culture-dependent methods [2,8,41,46,47]. The result from our parallel study based on culturing method also showed that in most cases BCO was attributable to Staphylococcus species (data not shown).…”

Degenerative joint disease in captive waterfowl

“…It is not known why such a high proportion of waterfowl in our study had lesions in one or both stifle joints. Other studies of avian joint disease have reported a more equal distribution of stifle and hock joint lesions in broilers (Joiner et al, 2005) and non-passerine birds (Rothschild & Panza, 2005), or 100% localization in the hock joint of pigeons and hawks (Rothschild & Panza, 2006) or other non-waterfowl species (Rothschild & Rü hli, 2007). Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis of the proximal femur and coxofemoral joint is an important cause of lameness in commercial broilers (McNamee et al, 1998;McNamee & Smyth, 2000), but no coxofemoral joint lesions were observed in any of our study birds.…”

“…S. aureus was also associated with severe, bilateral septic arthritis of the hock joints in a captive black-bellied whistling duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) (Bienzle et al, 1997). Other bacteria isolated from infected joints include Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp., Salmonella typhimurium and Reimerella anatipestifer (Karstad et al, 1970;Daoust, 1978;McNamee & Smyth, 2000). Reovirus was isolated from experimentally and naturally infected young domestic geese and Muscovy ducks (Cairina moschata), associated with severe arthritis and tenosynovitis, in addition to severe lesions in other major organs, such as the liver, kidney, spleen, and heart (Heffels-Redmann et al, 1992; Palya et al, 2003).…”

“…These problems are often reported in young poultry that rarely live beyond 6 months of age. Many different risk factors and aetiologies have been documented in these birds, including infectious (Daoust, 1978;McNamee et al, 1998;Palya et al, 2003;Joiner et al, 2005), neoplastic (Rothschild & Panza, 2005), genetic (Anderson-Mackenzie et al, 1997), and dietary or husbandry-related causes (Huff et al, 2000).…”

Genetic diversity of the major histocompatibility complex region in commercial and noncommercial chicken flocks using the LEI0258 microsatellite marker

“…Several studies have shown a very strong association between the MHC genes and disease resistance and susceptibility to numerous pathogens, including Marek's disease (MD; Hansen et al, 1967;Briles et al, 1977;Wakenell et al, 1996;Bacon et al, 2001), Rous sarcoma tumor virus (Bacon et al, 1981;Taylor 2004), avian leukosis virus (Yoo and Sheldon, 1992), fowl cholera (Lamont et al, 1987), coccidiosis (Lilleho et al, 1989;Caron et al, 1997), Salmonella (Cotter et al, 1998;Liu et al, 2002), avian influenza virus (Boonyanuwatk et al, 2006), Northern fowl mite (Owen et al, 2008), and bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus (Joiner et al, 2005). The best known association of the MHC to resistance to disease is that of MD, a lymphoproliferative disease (T-cell cancer) caused by a member of the herpes virus family.…”