Simultaneous Detection of Mycoplasma Infections in Clinically Sick and Apparently Healthy Broilers
Simultaneous Detection of Mycoplasma Infections in Clinically Sick and Apparently Healthy Broilers
Muhammad Asif Zahoor1, Zeeshan Nawaz1, Abu Baker Siddique1, Sajjad ur Rahman2 and Shahid Ali1*
ABSTRACT
Mycoplasma infections in gallinaceous birds are reported throughout the world and are caused by either Mycoplasma gallisepticum or Mycoplasma synoviae. Hence, in the present study we have detected Mycoplasma spp. from tissue samples collected from clinically sick (60 samples) and apparently healthy broiler birds (30 samples) in a commercial farm, using classical isolation and compared with molecular identification of Mycoplasma infections. A total of 96 tissue samples from trachea, air sacs, lungs and oral swabs along with blood from each bird were collected and initially subjected to isolation of Mycoplasma spp. using brain heart infusion broth supplemented with horse serum. The blood was used for serum plate agglutination assay. Thereafter, the samples were subjected to genomic DNA extraction to detect Mycoplasma spp. using multiplex-PCR. Isolation and identification data showed that a total of 58/96 samples (60.41%) were positive for Mycoplasma infections whereas a total of 61/96 blood samples were also found positive using serum plate agglutination. However, the multiplex-PCR detected Mycoplasma in all of the tissue samples, either one of the species or simultaneous infection. M. gallisepticum was found in 39/96 samples (40.62%) and M. synoviae in 32/96 samples (33.34%), whereas 25/96 samples (26.04%) were detected with simultaneous infection with both species. Altogether, it has been observed that multiplex-PCR is a sensitive tool for early and accurate diagnosis of Mycoplasma infections from samples collected from clinically sick and apparently healthy birds. In this way, current approach could be contributed well towards elimination and reduction of losses due to Mycoplasma infections in commercial poultry.
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