Serological Responses of Chickens to Low Challenge Doses of Mycoplasma Synoviae

Abstract

Groups of eight chickens were challenged with 10-fold dilutions of one of two strains of Mycoplasma synoviae (MS); each challenge group contained two noninfected sentinels. Both strains were highly efficient in colonizing the respiratory tract with challenge doses as low as 76 and 24 color-changing units/bird. Infection spread rapidly (within 7 days) to sentinels, while uninfected control chickens separated from infected chickens by two empty pens remained uninfected for the 56-day experimental period. Although sentinels and birds challenged with the lowest doses had weaker or slightly slower antibody responses in some cases as measured by serum plate agglutination, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and hemagglutination inhibition (HI), they generally exhibited a typical antibody response. Agglutination reactions tended to be weak, but a high percentage of tests (generally >30% from day 14 postchallenge) were positive. ELISA results were variable, and in some cases reactor rates were low (generally <20%), even though the chickens were colonized in the upper respiratory tract. The HI test was reliable in detecting infected groups; usually >50% were positive from 14 days postchallenge. Mean HI titers were higher when using hemagglutination antigens prepared from the homologous MS strain as compared with antigen prepared from the heterologous strain or with standard antigen prepared from WVU 1853.

Molecular characterization and antimicrobial susceptible profiles of Thai mycoplasma synoviae and immune response chickens received live mycoplasma synoviae vaccine

“…M. synoviae infection frequently appears as subclinical infection of upper respiratory tract in chickens which will be reservoirs or carriers of M. synoviae for life. Infected chickens could vertically transmit pathogens to their progeny and could horizontally spread pathogens by direct and indirect contact via contaminated materials, environments, or people (Marois et al, 2000;Fiorentin et al, 2003b;Kleven and Ferguson-Noel, 2008;Buim et al, 2009;Pakpinyo et al, 2009;Feberwee and Landman, 2010;Khiari et al, 2010;Wetzel et al, 2010;Landman, 2014). The coinfection with respiratory pathogens; such as Newcastle disease virus (NDV), infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), and Escherichia coli (E. coli); can cause airsacculitis, whereas the systemic infection of M. synoviae can cause infectious synovitis showing inflammation of tendons or bursa sheath (Kleven and Ferguson-Noel, 2008;Buim et al, 2009;Pakpinyo et al, 2009;Khiari et al, 2010;Wetzel et al, 2010;Landman, 2014;Limpavithayakul et al, 2016).…”

“…Consequently, economic consequence and disease severity are variation in pathogenicity among characteristic of M. synoviae isolates, from no lesion to severe lesions. Economic impacts of M. synoviae infection in poultry industry seem to be noticeable increased worldwide due to the occurrence of synovial membrane infection associating with the infectious synovitis, and the emergence of oviduct infection, affecting the eggshell quality and egg production (Kleven and Ferguson-Noel, 2008;Buim et al, 2009;Pakpinyo et al, 2009;Feberwee and Landman, 2010;Seifi and Shirzad, 2012;Landman, 2014;Limpavithayakul et al, 2016). The clinical lesions of airsacculitis and infectious synovitis in chickens caused by the respiratory tract infection and the synovial membrane infection, respectively, eventually lead to various economic losses including a decrease of poultry flocks' performances; reduction of egg production, hatchability, and growth rate; and an increase of carcasses' condemnation (Landman, 2014).…”

“…The clinical lesions of airsacculitis and infectious synovitis in chickens caused by the respiratory tract infection and the synovial membrane infection, respectively, eventually lead to various economic losses including a decrease of poultry flocks' performances; reduction of egg production, hatchability, and growth rate; and an increase of carcasses' condemnation (Landman, 2014). Besides, the oviduct infection could induced the egg shell apex abnormalities (EAA) without any physical abnormalities (Lockaby et al, 1998;Kleven and Ferguson-Noel, 2008;Pakpinyo et al, 2009;Landman, 2014).…”

“…According to disease surveillance worldwide, M. synoviae was detected and suspected to be an important pathogen in most commercial layer, breeder and broiler chickens showing respiratory problem or decreased flocks' performances (Fiorentin et al, 2003b;Feberwee et al, 2008;Buim et al, 2009;Pourbakhsh et al, 2010;Seifi and Shirzad, 2012). Most broiler chicken flocks have faced the economic losses due to an occurrence of airsacculitis and infectious synovitis which could respectively increase carcasses' condemnation rate and culling amount of lame chickens (Kleven et al, 1972;Giambrone et al, 1977;Yoder Jr et al, 1977;Landman and Feberwee, 2001), while the infection of M. synoviae in oviduct could be associated with egg drops problems and eggshell apex abnormalities (EAA) syndrome in layers flocks showing an altered thinning translucent egg shell surface with easily crack or break (Lockaby et al, 1998;Kleven and Ferguson-Noel, 2008;Feberwee et al, 2009a;Feberwee et al, 2009b;Pakpinyo et al, 2009;Landman, 2014).…”

“…Since culture and isolation are time consuming and laborious diagnostic assays; therefore, molecular assays including conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay and sequence analysis have been developed and become methods of choice for M. synoviae detection and strain differentiation due to their advantages; simple, rapid, highly sensitivity and excellent specificity (Marois et al, 2000;Kleven and Ferguson-Noel, 2008;Buim et al, 2009;Jarquin et al, 2009;Pakpinyo et al, 2009;Feberwee and Landman, 2010;Wetzel et al, 2010;Landman, 2014;Limpavithayakul et al, 2016). M. synoviae-specific PCR assay, the 16S rRNA gene-based PCR assay representing a sensitivity of 82% and a specificity of 100%, has been widely used for detecting M. synoviae organisms in infected chickens or contaminated environments (Lauerman et al, 1993;Marois et al, 2000;Hong et al, 2004); however, it could not be a reliable diagnostic method for differentiating M. synoviae strains.…”