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1. MEMBER IN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR POULTRY DEVELOPMENTFAO FAO IRAQ Prevalence of Mycoplasma gallisepticum Infection in Poultry Farms Dr. Majed H. Mohammed Ph.D. Virology and Moleculat Cell Biology m [email protected]

2. Background Mycoplasmas are highly versatile and successful pathogen Chronic Respiratory Disease: Once infected, infection remains for life Mycoplasma lack a cell wall: resistant to penicillin group of antibiotics Antimicoplasmal drugs are bacteriostatic Antibodies can not eliminate infection Field infection (MG/MS) level is high due to vertical transmission and low level of biosecurity Raising mycoplasma clean flocks is not practicable

3. Major pathogenic species M. gallisepticum - Chickens, Turkeys M. synoviae - Chickens, Turkeys M. meliagridis - Turkeys M. iowae - Turkeys Smallest self replicating prokaryotes Lack of cell wall, bounded by cell membrane Fragile – easily killed out side its host by disinfectants

4. Costliest Disease in Poultry Mortality Reduced feed conversion Loss of weight Complications with – IB, ND, E coli Drop in egg production Reduced hatchability & chick viability Cost of eradication and control programs Economic significance

5. Transmission Horizontal Within a flock - contact or aerosols Between flocks - windborne Vertical Parent to the chick through egg

6. Some possible egg-borne infections

7. Target organs: Respiratory system Synovial membranes Reproductive system Incubation period: Chronic slow spreading Varies from 6-21 days

8. Clinical Signs Coughing, sneezing, Nasal discharge Foamy secretions in the eye Open mouthed breathing Tracheal rales Reduced feed consumption Loss of weight – more stunted chicks Drop in egg production – layer, breeder Reduced hatchability, chick viability Lameness Morbidity – up to 100% Mortality – up to 30%

9. Gross Lesions Sinusitis and conjunctivitis Tracheitis with excessive mucus Airsacculitis Pneumonia Synovitis Osteomyelitis Salpingitis

10. The most characteristic signs in adult flocks are tracheal rales , nasal discharge, coughing

11. Frothy exudate in Air sac Accumulation of Cheesy mass in thoracic air sac

12. Foamy lesions develop on air sacs Within one weak later become 8-10 folds thicker than normal

13. Secondary E.coli infection leads to severe fibrinopurelent or Caseous exudates on pericardium and liver capsule ( fibrinous pericarditis and fibrinous perihepatitis )

14. Complicated Chronic Respiratory Disease Air-saculitis, Pericarditis, perihepatitis

15. Catarrhal inflammation of the nasal passages, sinuses, trachea, and bronchi .

16. Diagnosis of maycoplasma Isolation: Laborious process (slow growth – complex nutritional requirement) tubes should be incubated at 37 C for at least 14 days before being discarded as negative . Identification: Biochemical & Serological (growth inhibition test, agar gel precipitation test, ELISA, FAT, HI, Agglutination test).

17. Routine monitoring of flocks for MG and MS infection is usually by the RSA, (Rapid Sera Agglutination also known as the Plate test, SPA) or ELISA test. Testing is usually recommended to be every 3 weeks in high risk areas Yolk samples from eggs can be tested in ELISA format tests and may be useful, especially if access to the parent flock is not possible or is a problem from a biosecurity point of view Monitoring by serology

18. Serum separation for ELISA Collection of choanal swab

19. In the field, many cases of M. gallisepticum infection are complicated by other diseaseproducing bacteria . Therefore, effective treatment must also attack the secondary invaders . Most strains of mycoplasma M. gallisepticum are sensitive to a number of antibiotics, but are resistant to penicillins or other antibiotics which act by inhibiting cell wall A combination of colistin and tylosin with other anti- bacterials generally helps and effect will be better if bronchodilators are also used in drinking water for 3-5 tetracyclines , tylosin , tiamulin , quinolones ( enrofloxacin ) and tilmicosin but most of these are bacteriostatic rather than bacteriosidal . tetracyclines , tylosin , tiamulin , quinolones ( enrofloxacin ) and tilmicosin but most of these are bacteriostatic rather than bacteriosidal . Treatment

20. The avian respiratory system is involved in the following functions: absorption of oxygen (O2) release of carbon dioxide (CO2) release of heat (temperature regulation) detoxification of certain chemicals rapid adjustments of acid/base balance

21. Use of vaccines : (a) Killed vaccines : (b) Live vaccines: These are of three types: F strain vaccine, 6/85 strain vaccine, and ts-11 vaccine Management: Because M. gallisepticum can be transmitted by egg, maintaining chicken flocks free of M. gallisepticum is possible only by starting with breeding stocks that are free of the infection. Prevention and Control

22. biosecurity is extremely important in the control of disease Suggestions and Comments Biosecurity – Preventing disease in poultry

23. The use of anolyte in poultry The addition of neutral anolyte into the drinking water ... improves feed conversion promote immunity increases the resistance to disease permits an increase in the vitality reduces mortality by 50 to 70% allows a higher life weight at lower feed consumption reduced the use of antibiotics eliminates E-coli, salmonella, coccidiosis improving the quality of the feed of the animals Minimizes the impact of mortality during epidemics reduced the amount of small eggs increases the quality and the uniformity of the calibration of eggs