LUCRĂRI ŞTIINłIFICE MEDICINĂ VETERINARĂ VOL. XLIII (1), 2010 TIMIŞOARA
MYCOPLASMA IN POULTRY FLOCKS IN THE YEAR 2009
COMPARED TO THE YEAR 2000 AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
CONTROL MEASURES
M. KAPETANOV, D. ORLIĆ, DUBRAVKA POTKONJAK, MAJA VELHNER, I.
STOJANOV, DUBRAVKA MILANOV, DRAGICA STOJANOVIC
Scientific Veterinary Institute „Novi Sad“, Rumenački put 20, 21000
Novi Sad, Serbia
E-mail: [email protected]
Summary
In presented investigations, the most adequate path for the application of specific
measures to reduce mycoplasma in poultry flocks is discussed. Serology testing was
performed in different poultry species and categories in order to detect mycoplasmae. During
the year 2000 and 2009, the presence of Mycoplasma gallisepticum (Mg) and Mycoplasma
synoviae (Ms) antibodies was examined in 77 and 290 flocks, respectively. Additionally,
detection M. meleagridis (Mm) was performed in samples from turkey flocks by PCR during
the year 2009. Significant number of flocks were marked positive to Mg during rear (19.05%)
and in commercial broilers (8%). High prevalence of Ms detected in adult flocks of 90% and
rearing flocks of 40.48%. In 2009, Mg was most represented in commercial broilers (14.29%)
and adult flocks (12.5%) in compair to rearing flocks (7.99%). Based on presented
investigations, recomendations are listed: The most important mycoplasma in poultry should
be under National control program; establishing the referent laboratories for the diagnostics
of Mycoplasma; implementation of the regular monitoring in breeder flocks and the use of
hatching eggs only from mycoplasma free flock and the procedures for the prevention of
spread of mycoplasma using immunoprofilactic measures and biosafety.
Key words: control program, infection, mycoplasma, poultry, serology
Mycoplasma genus comprimes more then 160 species of small cariotes
wrapped in plasmatic membrane without cell wall (11). The first isolation of
mycoplasma dates from year 1898, as causative agent of pleuropneumonia in
cattle, while Nelson isolated them from poultry (1,12). According to classification
scheme, Mycoplasma spp. belong to the family of Mycoplasmataceae, Order
Mycoplasmatales.
More then a hundred mycoplasma species are able to infect humans and
animals and twenty species infect birds. However, clinical manifestation occures
only after infection with some mycoplasma. Nevertheless, epizootiological and
economical impact of infection with mycoplasma is very significant and countries
with developed poultry industry have implemented mycoplasma in their control
programmes (10). High economical losses are caused by mycoplasma infection in
poultry and turkey flocks, solely or in conjunction with other pathogenic organisms.
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Infection with mycoplasma are associated with high condemnation rate, decreased
final weight and drop of egg production, higher conversion ratio.
Materials and methods
During the investigations, blood sera from commercial layer and heavy
breeder poultry flocks of different age were used. During the year 2000 and 2009,
the presence of Mycoplasma gallisepticum (Mg) and Mycoplasma synoviae (Ms)
antibodies was examined in 1202 blood sera sampled from 77 flocks, and 4360
blood sera sampled from 290 flocks, respectively. Additionally, the detection M.
meleagridis (Mm) was performed in samples from turkey flocks by PCR during the
year 2009. The sample size ranged from 10 to 20 sera per flock. Specific
antibodies in sera samples were detected by plate agglutination using coloured
Nobilis Antigen and by ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay).
Results and discussion
The results of sera testing during the year 2000 and 2009 are presented in
Table 1 and Table 2, respectively. All age groups and genotypes were examined
during the regular monitoring program and in cases with suspected Chronic
Respiratory Disease (CRD).
Table 1
The results of M. gallisepticum and M. synoviae agglutination test in poultry
flocks during regular control and in case of suspected CRD in year 2000
Year 2000
Fattening
chickens
(25 flocks)
Mg
The number of examined
sera
The number of sera
tested positive
The percentage of sera
tested positive (%)
The number of flocks
tested positive
The percentage of flocks
tested positive (%)
Ms
Layers and
breeders during
the rear
(42 flocks)
Mg
Ms
140
Adult poultry
(10 flocks)
Mg
551
Ms
511
16
31
65
202
0
146
11.43
22.14
11.80
36.66
0.00
28.57
2
3
8
17
0
9
8.00
12.00
19,05
40.48
0,00
90.00
During the year 2000, 1202 sera samples from 77 poultry flocks overall
were examined. Antibodies against Mg were not detected in 10 adult flocks in
production phase. On the other side, significant number of flocks were marked
positive to Mg during the rear (19.05%) and in commercial broilers (8%) regardless
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of the similar percentage of positive sera. High prevalence of Ms detected in adult
flocks of 90% and in flocks during the rear of 40.48%, may influenced the finding
that 12% of commercial broiler flocks were at some point infected with
Mycoplasma.
Table 2
The results of the presence of M. gallisepticum, M. synoviae and M.
meleagridis in poultry flocks during regular control and in case of suspected
CRD in year 2009
Year 2009
Broiler
chickens
(35 flocks)
Mg
The number of
examined sera
The number of
sera tested positive
The percentage of
sera tested positive
(%)
The number of
flocks tested
positive
The percentage of
flocks tested
positive (%)
Ms
Layers and
breeders
during the rear
(188 flocks)
Mg
Ms
560
Adult poultry
(48 flocks)
Mg
3010
Ms
410
Fattenin
g
turkeys
(19 flocks)
Mm
380
43
81
251
680
70
120
0
7.68
14.46
8.34
22.60
17.07
29.27
0
5
8
15
39
6
11
0
14.29
22.86
7.99
20.74
12.50
22.91
0
During the year 2009, investigation on mycoplasma comprimed 4360 sera
samples taken from 290 poultry flocks in total. Specific antibodies against Mg were
detected in similar percentage of tested sera in commercial broilers and rearing
chickens, versus higher percentage in adult flocks. However, Mg was most
represented in commercial broilers (14.29%) and adult flocks (12.5%) in compair to
rearing flocks (7.99%). Similar prevalence of Ms was observed in all investigated
categories, with some lower values in rearing flocks. M. meleagridis was not
detected in all examined flocks. The presented results point out the small number
of samples examined serologicaly both in year 2000 and year 2009, although the
population size increased. These observations implicate the absence of systematic
surveillance of the spread of mycoplasma in poultry flocks. Specific measures to
reduce its presence were mostly applied in layer and broiler breeder flocks.
However, in broiler chickens this approach was significantly neglected. On the
other side, the investigations on M. meleagridis in turkey flocks were undertaken
during quarantine, since this production relies on import exclusively. The
significance of mycoplasma in poultry pathology was emphasized on numerous
occasions’ but the demand for its research remains justified (5, 7, 14, 15, 17, 18).
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In our region, Mycoplasma sp. in poultry industry represents significant
determinant of economic and epizootiologic importance (13). In the scope of
epizootiology, only the prevalence of M. gallisepticum in poultry tends to decrease,
while infection with other mycoplasma occurs even more frequently. In Serbia,
because of inconsistent control of hatching eggs there are no precise data on the
economic losses, only estimations for the two most important, M. gallisepticum and
M. synoviae. The well known admitted differences within Mycoplasma genus (3)
affect difficult identification in practice. Several factors contribute the hard clinical
readings, such as bad environmental conditions and presence of other
microorganisms (8, 19). Until recently, tests with low sensitivity (fast blood
agglutination) were used and the actual infection rate in a flock remained unknown
(2, 4, 16). The overall losses are often attributed to other causes, bacterial and/or
viral infections, feed or environmental conditions (6, 9).
Conclusions
Based on presented investigations on mycoplasma in poultry flocks and
the significance of its control, basic recomendations are listed downward:
1. The most important mycoplasma in poultry (M. gallisepticum, M.
synoviae, M. meleagridis and M. iowae) should be under National control program
in poultry flocks.
2. Implementation of the regular monitoring in breeder flocks and the use of
hatching eggs only from mycoplasma free flocks.
3. Establishing the referent laboratories for the diagnostics of Mycoplasma.
4. Implementation of the procedures for the prevention of spread of
mycoplasma using immunoprofilactic measures and biosafety.
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