Molecular detection of Mycoplasma synoviae and avian reovirus infection in arthritis and tenosynovitis lesions of broiler and breeder chickens in Santa Catarina State, Brazil

Abstract

Infectious arthritis or tenosynovitis in broiler and breeder chickens results in major loss of productivity because of reduced growth and downgrading at processing plants. The most common causative agents of avian infectious arthritis are the bacterium Mycoplasma synoviae and avian reoviruses (ARVs) (family Reoviridae, genus Orthoreovirus). In this study, we evaluated the occurrence of these two pathogens in arthritis or tenosynovitis lesions of broilers and breeder flocks in southern Brazil using molecular detection. Tissue sections from tibiotarsal joints with visible lesions from 719 broilers and 505 breeders were analysed using pathogen-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. In breeders, 41.2% (n = 296) of lesions were positive for M. synoviae, 26.4% (n = 190) were positive for ARV, while co-infection was present in 12.2% (n = 88) of the samples. In broilers, 20.8% (n = 105) of lesions were positive for M. synoviae, 11.9% (n = 60) for ARV and 7.7% (n = 39) of these cases were positive for both pathogens. Post-mortem examination revealed lesions with varying degrees of gross pathological severity. Histopathological examination showed intense, diffuse lymphohistiocytic inflammatory infiltrates with heterophil accumulation, primarily in the synovial capsule and digital flexor tendon, in all samples. Improved strategies for early detection and control of these major avian pathogens are highly desirable for preventing the spread of infection and reducing economic losses in the poultry industry.

Evaluation of turkey arthritis syndrome by traditional and advanced diagnostic techniques

“…The most frequent samples of mixed infections were S. aureus and CNS with a percentage 23.9% followed by S. aureus and Salmonella with a percentage 13%. The obtained results were similar to those reported in South Africa, [3], Brazil [1], and the USA [23].…”

“…Arthritis is a worldwide welfare issue in poultry production especially turkeys, caused by many bacterial pathogens [1].The most common form of infection involves tenosynovitis (inflammation of tendon sheaths) and arthritis of the hock and stifle joints [2]. The affected joints, usually the hocks, are hot, swollen and painful and affected birds are usually depressed, lameness and reluctant to walk-in tenosynovitis, synovial membranes of tendon sheaths become thickened and edematous, with fibrinous exudate within and around the tendon sheaths leading to reduction of productivity, besides representing a sanitary problem [3]. As most bacterial pathogens could play a role in the incidence of respiratory disease in birds.…”

“…As most bacterial pathogens could play a role in the incidence of respiratory disease in birds. The respiratory tract infections are of eminent importance in the manufacture of turkeys because of high mortality in poorly managed cases which lead to large economic losses [3].…”

Histopathological lesion of Arthritis in Mycoplasma synoviae naturally infected breeder chicken in Egypt

“…Edema in the synovial tissue with heterophil infiltration, and hyperplasia of synovial cells, followed by fibrosis and infiltration with lymphocytes, reticulocytes, plasma cells and heterophiles occurs (Jordan 1975). Histopathological examination showed intense, diffuse lympho-histiocytic inflammatory infiltrates with heterophil accumulation, primarily in the synovial capsule and digital flexor tendon, in all samples (Reck et al 2019). Similar lesions were detected in diagnosis infectious arthritis (Bradbury and Garuti 1978).…”

“…The affected joints, especially the hock and foot pads joints appear warm, swollen with accumulation of fibrinopurulent exudate (Ferguson-Noel and Noormohammadi 2013). Many authors had clarified similar microscopic findings in chickens infected with arthropathic strains of MS which mainly comprised from infiltration of inflammatory cells and also hyperplasia of the affected synovial membranes (Reck et al 2019).…”