common respiratory disease in commercial MG is primarily a respiratory disease in layers around the world. Mycoplasma are a chickens, but the most significant effects in small primitive type of bacteria and various layers are a reduction in egg production and species of Mycoplasma are host-adapted to a slightly elevated mortality rate, likely due different animal species. Chickens can also be to secondary bacterial infections with the infected with the generally less pathogenic presence of respiratory lesions. Layers can Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) and several other be infected by a number of viral and bacterial Mycoplasma species that are considered non- respiratory diseases which share many of the pathogenic. Besides infecting chickens, MG same lesions and symptoms, and two or more causes serious respiratory disease in turkeys such diseases can occur simultaneously in a and has been found in a number of other flock. When dealing with respiratory diseases avian species. In parts of the U.S., a common in layers, it is important to get an accurate wild bird, the house finch, has been found to diagnosis so it is known exactly what diseases be infected with MG. are present. Each disease (and combination of MG can be transmitted vertically from infected diseases) is unique and has its own optimum breeders through the hatching egg to the control measures and vaccination methods. chicks, horizontally from bird-to-bird, from Diagnosis of MG should involve a combination contaminated surfaces or through the air of observation of typical symptoms and for short distances. In the middle of the 20th lesions of MG in a flock, along with either century, primary breeders recognized the a serological change or isolating the importance of MG and their role in preventing organism in correlation with the onset of vertical transmission. As a part of the United symptoms. Serology testing utilizing the States Department of Agriculture (USDA) plate agglutination, hemagglutination- National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP), MG inhibition (HI), or ELISA methods will detect was eradicated from primary breeding lines. antibodies specific to MG. Depending on prior Since then, breeders have considered it their vaccinations given to the flock, a presence duty to supply MG- and MS-negative parent of MG antibodies or an increasing titer may flocks to the worldwide layer industry. In indicate infection with a field stain of MG. most countries, parent flocks are maintained Other laboratory methods, such as culture or free of MG so that MG-negative commercial PCR, are a direct indication of the presence of chicks can be supplied to the commercial egg the MG organism. producers. In many cases, the MG-negative status is not maintained on commercial layer farms. The typical multi-age rotating population of large layer farms permits flock- to-flock horizontal transmission of MG so that the infection can never be eliminated. Consequently, layer producers have had to learn to live with MG and minimize the effects with vaccination and medication programs.
MG plate agglutination test
Technical Update – MG CONTROL IN COMMERCIAL LAYERS
The most noticeable symptom of MG infection Production Results in MG Infected Flock
in an adult layer flock is an extended drop in 100 production (often 10-15%) occurring over a 4-6
HEN-DAY EGG PRODUCTION (%)
week period. Production is slow to recover and 90 often never does recover to the pre-infection 80 level or a normal production level for the age 70 of the flock. Shell quality may suffer some 60 effects, but this symptom is not as consistent 50 Performance Standard as with other respiratory diseases such as 40 MG-Infected Flock infectious bronchitis or Newcastle. 30 Mortality may be somewhat elevated with 20 the presence of respiratory lesions. Tracheas 10 can be quite inflamed with some extra mucus 0 and exudate, but do not have the firm trachea 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 plugs typical of laryngotracheitis (ILT) or wet WEEKS OF AGE fowl pox. Chronic airsacculitis with cheesy cores can be found, especially in the anterior airsacs.
Pericardial sac is cloudy from MG and secondary
bacterial infection
“Cheesy” core resulting from MG and secondary
bacterial infection
Cloudy airsacs (airsacculitis) resulting from MG
“Cloudy” mucus lining of the trachea resulting
from MG and secondary bacterial infections TREATMENT Marek’s disease vaccine, that have been Since MG is a bacterium, acutely affected genetically-engineered to contain selected flocks can be treated with antibiotics. genes for the immunogenic proteins of a Treatment will not totally eliminate MG second pathogen, like MG. As the vector virus infection from a flock, but will reduce reproduces, it produces the proteins coded by the clinical effects. Depending on local the inserted genes from the second pathogen. regulations treatment options include tylosin, These proteins stimulate the immune system tetracyclines, tiamulin, fluoroquinolones and and provide immunity against that second possibly others. pathogen without any risk or stress from reacting to the live virus or bacteria as in traditional vaccines. PREVENTION Egg operations with multi-age layer farms A pox-vectored MG vaccine is used like a known to be infected with MG should utilize a normal pox vaccine in the growing period. vaccination program prior to infection during While this concept has proven to work well for the pullet growing period. Ideally pullets some pathogens, sometimes the protection would be grown on a MG-negative farm to from the vectored pathogen is not as strong allow immunity to develop before exposure in as from traditional live or killed products. A early production on the multi-age layer farm. comparison of protection from three types There are several vaccine options that have of MG vaccines reported in Avian Diseases been utilized with varying degrees of success. failed to demonstrate any protection from a recombinant fowl pox-MG product.1 INACTIVATED MG BACTERINS LIVE MG VACCINES A bacterin is an injectable solution containing inactivated MG organisms in a water-in-oil Historically, the first attempt to vaccinate for emulsion. It may be produced as a single MG utilized a naturally-occurring mild strain antigen MG product, or in a combination known as “F-strain”. It had no detrimental with Newcastle and infectious bronchitis. effects when inoculated into growing pullets This type of vaccine should produce a strong and when given prior to a more pathogenic antibody response and all injected birds field challenge, F-strain was able to prevent should test strongly positive for MG antibody the negative effects of the disease. Originally, 2-3 weeks after the injection. The protection F-strain was grown in large liquid batches from bacterins seems to be best in early by local laboratories and applied as a fresh production as monitoring often shows the culture without any packaging step. That antibody response begins to decline in mid- original version retained some virulence and cycle production (positive serology dropping could not be used in areas where it could below 100% after 40-50 weeks). This may spread to turkeys or susceptible adult layers. allow the field strain of MG to spread through In the 1980’s the F-strain was commercialized flocks in mid-late production as evidenced by and adapted as a live freeze-dried vaccine. a return to 100% positive serology. Hopefully, As such, the strain has become less virulent this transition is slow and mild enough that and has been shown to have very little production is not affected, but in some cases, pathogenicity or spreading potential. One production can be negatively impacted. product is licensed for spray application and Routine monitoring of MG antibody titers and one for drinking water, but field experience correlating those results with any observed has shown better seroconversion when the production drops will allow a producer to product is applied by eyedrop, probably due identify if this is happening. to a higher dose getting in the bird. It has also successfully been applied when mixed with infectious laryngotracheitis vaccine and POX-VECTORED MG given by eyedrop. F-strain is strong enough A relatively new type of vaccine is a to remain in the bird for its life and provide recombinant or vector vaccine. These are a permanent competitive exclusion against vaccine viruses, such as fowl pox or HVT infection by the field strain. Two other types of live MG vaccine are also MG infection can significantly affect marketed, a 6/85 strain and a TS-11 strain. A production and profitability of commercial summary of the traits of the live vaccines is layer flocks. With the aid of some simple presented in the table below. In some cases, diagnostic methods and vaccination the protection from these two milder live techniques, the disease can be relatively easy vaccines appears to decline in mid-production to diagnose and control. The world’s layer and flocks can experience an outbreak of MG industry may not be able to totally eliminate field infection. Diagnosis of such a break is MG anytime soon, but by utilizing these basic based on a combination of symptoms, lesions, methods, we are able to prevent the major and increasing antibody titers as discussed negative economic effects of the disease. earlier. When this type of late MG reaction is consistently found in flocks previously vaccinated with one of the milder vaccines, it may indicate the need for a stronger product, like F-strain, or perhaps the need to enhance the protection with additional medications or vaccinations.
MG Vaccines and Bacterins
Post-vaccination Longevity of serology on protection Form of vaccine Application route plate test expected Poulvac® Myco F – Live, Lyophilized Licensed as 100% positive Lifelong Zoetis coarse spray or drinking AviPro® MG F – water. Eyedrop Lohmann Animal Health commonly used TS-11 - Merial Live, Frozen liquid Eyedrop About 50% To mid-lay positive Nobilis MG 6/85 or Live, Lyophilized Spray All negative To mid-lay Mycovac-L - Merck Animal Health/MSD MG-Bac - Zoetis Inactivated, Intramuscular or 100% positive To mid-lay Water-in-Oil Subcutaneous initially AviPro®104 MG Bacterin - Lohmann Animal Health VECTORMUNE®FP MG - Live, Lyophilized Wing-web All negative Variable CEVA Animal Health
1. Ferguson-Noel, N., et al. “The Efficacy of Three Commercial Mycoplasma gallisepticum Vaccines in Laying Hens.” Avian Diseases 56.2 (2012): 272-275.