Prevalence ofMycoplasma gallisepticumandMycoplasma synoviaein commercial poultry, racing pigeons and wild birds in Belgium

Abstract

Mycoplasma gallisepticum is the most important pathogenic avian Mycoplasma species and causes chronic respiratory disease in poultry. In addition, the prevalence of Mycoplasma synoviae is of increasing concern in several EU member states. We investigated the prevalence of M. gallisepticum in commercial poultry (5220 layers, 1224 broilers and 1020 meat turkeys), 56 racing pigeons and 890 wild birds (Order Anseriformes, Galliformes, Pelecaniformes, Accipitriformes, Gruiformes, Charadriiformes, Columbiformes, Strigiformes, Falconiformes and Passeriformes). Broilers and wild birds were also evaluated for Mycoplasma synoviae. Dependent on the bird lifespan and the nature of the sample, different diagnostic tests were used including the rapid plate agglutination test, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), polymerase chain reaction and real-time polymerase chain reaction. A low prevalence of M. gallisepticum was found in both layers (0.9%; 95% CI: 0.7-1.2%) and broilers (2.7%; 95% CI: 1.9-3.8%) possibly due to reduced vertical transmission by breeder farms, which are under official surveillance. None of the samples from turkeys or racing pigeons tested positive. In wild birds, we found five birds were positive (1.7%; 95% CI: 0.7-3.9%): one wood pigeon, two grey herons, one mallard and one Eurasian magpie. For M. synoviae a high prevalence was found in broilers (12.9%: 95% CI: 11.1-14.9%). Four samples collected by hunters gave a positive result for M. synoviae (4%: 95% CI: 1.6-9.8%): one carrion crow and three wood pigeons. In addition, 12 house sparrows were found to be positive (3%; 95% CI: 1.7-5.2%). Wild birds probably play a limited role as a reservoir but we cannot exclude a possible impact on transmission of Mycoplasmas.

Seroprevalance of Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma synoviae in Commercial Broilers and Backyard Poultry in Five Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan

“…Moreover, high seroprevalence of MG (40.51%) and MS (17.94%) in open shed reared birds and low in closed shed 26.74 & 14.72%, respectively was recorded in present study, which may probably be due to heavy exposure of birds through contaminated environment and weak biosecurity measures prevailing around the open sheds. In closed shed there is more restriction on the movement of workers, officials as well as wild, fancy and domestic birds as reported by Michiels et al (2016) in Belgium. Also de Wit et al (2004) and Haesendonck et al (2014) recorded a very high prevalence of both MG and MS with 73.2 and 96.4% of flocks, respectively suggesting that this group of birds might act as a potential reservoir for Mycoplasma.…”

Assessment of Potential Health and Genetic Impacts in Releasing ConfiscatedParoaria coronataandSaltator similis

“…Similarly, the higher MG prevalence in seized birds probably reflects the poor hygiene and stressful conditions to which these birds are subjected [59]. Even though MG exposure has been reported for wild birds [71,74,77], the lack of qPCR-based positive samples for MG is in agreement with another Brazilian study that sampled wild birds in poultry farms surrounded by forest remnants [78]. Even though none of the positive individuals in our sample showed any clinical evidence of infection, differential MG-susceptibility across bird species has been observed after experimental infections that resulted in both clinical and subclinical symptoms [79], which also occurred in wild birds [74,77,80].…”

“…Even though MG exposure has been reported for wild birds [71,74,77], the lack of qPCR-based positive samples for MG is in agreement with another Brazilian study that sampled wild birds in poultry farms surrounded by forest remnants [78]. Even though none of the positive individuals in our sample showed any clinical evidence of infection, differential MG-susceptibility across bird species has been observed after experimental infections that resulted in both clinical and subclinical symptoms [79], which also occurred in wild birds [74,77,80]. Disease outbreaks in free-ranging and captive wild bird have been recorded, suggesting a potential reservoir for the pathogen in nature [81–83], reinforcing the need of a reliable MG assay for elucidating the role of MG in populations of wild birds.…”

Assessment of listing and categorisation of animal diseases within the framework of the Animal Health Law (Regulation (EU) No 2016/429): avian mycoplasmosis (Mycoplasma gallisepticum, M. meleagridis)

“…; often because of captive rearing conditions resembling those of domestic Galliformes such as chickens and turkeys (Nicholas, ). But other bird orders can also be affected: a recent Belgian study detected M. gallisepticum in one wood pigeon (Columbiformes), two grey herons (Pelecaniformes), one mallard (Anseriformes) and one Eurasian magpie (Passeriformes) (Michiels et al., ). In the USA, M. gallisepticum was detected in birds belonging to the order Galliformes (wild turkeys, peafowls, peacocks, bobwhite quail) and Passeriformes (house finches, rooks, American goldfinches, pine grosbeaks, evening grosbeaks, purple finch and blue jay) (for review, see Stipkovits and Kempf, ; Raviv and Ley, ).…”