Mycoplasmas of Chicken and Turkeys

Question 1

What Mycoplasmas are common in chickens and turkeys?

Answer 1

Mycoplasma gallisepticum, Mycoplasma synoviae, Mycoplasma meleagridis, Mycoplasma iowae, Mycoplasma gallinarum, Mycoplasma anatis

Question 2

What does Mycoplasma gallisepticum cause?

Answer 2

chronic respiratory disease of chickens and infectious sinusitis of turkeys

Question 3

What does Mycoplasma gallisepticum cause in wild house finches in the US?

Answer 3

severe conjunctivitis

Question 4

How is Mycoplasma gallisepticum transmitted?

Answer 4

contact, airborne, droplet, as well as egg and venereal transmission

Question 5

What virulence factors does Mycoplasma gallisepticum have?

Answer 5

adhesions, variable expression of surface antigens, and immunosuppresion

Question 6

Is disease caused by Mycoplasma gallisepticum more severe in turkeys or chickens?

Answer 6

turkeys

Question 7

What can make infections of Mycoplasma gallisepticum more severe in chickens?

Answer 7

complicating bacterial and viral infections

Question 8

What environmental factors affect the severity of Mycoplasma gallisepticum infections?

Answer 8

adverse temperature, poor ventilation, high humidity, ammonia, and dust

Question 9

What is the best preventative method for Mycobacterium gallisepticum?

Answer 9

maintaining breeder flocks free of the organism

Question 10

Is immunization available for Mycoplasma gallisepticum?

Answer 10

yes

Question 11

What is F strain?

Answer 11

a modified live organism that reduces losses in egg production in laying hens

Question 12

What can be used to kill Mycoplasma gallisepticum in eggs?

Answer 12

egg dipping or egg heating

Question 13

What is egg dipping?

Answer 13

placing a cool egg in a warm solution of antibiotic and allowing the egg to absorb the antibiotic

Question 14

What is egg heating?

Answer 14

heating the egg at 114 degrees F for 30 minutes

Question 15

Generally, what does Mycoplasma synoviae cause?

Answer 15

infectious synovitis and air-sacculitis in chickens and turkeys primarily in the US

Question 16

How is Mycoplasma synoviae transmitted?

Answer 16

via eggs or laterally by contact and aerosol

Question 17

Specifically what is caused by Mycoplasma synoviae?

Answer 17

acute generalized respiratory disease progressing to arthritis, synovitis of joints, keel bursae, tendonitis, and airsacculits

Question 18

In turkeys, what tissues are involved in Mycoplasma synoviae infections?

Answer 18

joints and air sacs

Question 19

How is Mycoplasma synoviae prevented?

Answer 19

egg dipping or egg heating

Question 20

How is Mycoplasma synoviae treated?

Answer 20

Chlortetracycline in feed

Question 21

What is Mycoplasma meleagridis cause?

Answer 21

air sacculitis in TURKEYS ONLY

Question 22

How is Mycoplasma meleagridis transmitted?

Answer 22

via egg transmission and lateral transmission in the hatcher

Question 23

How soon can disease caused by Mycoplasma meleagridis be seen?

Answer 23

in newly hatched poults

Question 24

How is Mycoplasma meleagridis prevented?

Answer 24

egg dipping and egg heating as well as sanitation in semen collection and insemination

Question 25

What does Mycoplasma iowae cause?

Answer 25

reduced hatchability of chicken and turkey embryos, airsacculitis, tenosynovitis, arthritis, and digital-flexor-tendon rupture

Question 26

What may infection of Mycoplasma iowae in young turkeys cause?

Answer 26

damage to the bursa of Fabricius accompanied by a transient immunosuppresion

Question 27

What does Mycoplasma gallinarum cause?

Answer 27

it combines with infectious bronchitis virus and causes a more severe bronchitis

Question 28

What does Mycoplasma anatis cause?

Answer 28

airsacculitis, meningitis, serositis, and pneumonia in ducklings