Virulence of recent isolates of Mycoplasma synoviae in turkeys

Systemic Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) infection was induced experimentally in commercial turkeys with recent MS isolates (K4822D and K4774J) from turkey breeder flocks that exhibited no clinical signs typical of MS infection except for a low incidence of swollen footpads. The virulence of each strain was compared by evaluating gross and microscopic lesions, serologic responses, and MS isolation rates at 10 and 21 days postchallenge and by comparing these results with those obtained from a known virulent isolate (K1968), another previously characterized field isolate (K4463B), and unchallenged controls. All strains induced lesions typical of infectious synovitis but showed distinct differences in the extent of the gross and microscopic lesions and in the isolation rates from the tissues in turkeys. K1968 induced the most extensive lesions in hock and stifle joints and footpads, but strains K4822D, K4774J, and K4463B all induced synovitis and were similar in virulence for synovial tissues. Very mild respiratory lesions were induced by all of the strains studied. All strains yielded strong positive serologic responses. We concluded that these recent field isolates, although able to induce synovitis, are less virulent for turkeys than a known virulent strain. Nevertheless, under severe experimental challenge, these strains have the capability of causing lesions that may be incompatible with economical turkey production.     

Identification of species-specific and interspecies-specific polypeptides of Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma synoviae

Temporal antisera (TA) prepared in susceptible Leg-horn-type chickens against Mycoplasma gallisepticum and M synoviae were evaluated to determine the extent of cross-reactivity in ELISA and hemagglutination inhibition tests. Species-specific and interspecies-specific polypeptides were identified after electrophoretic separation and protein immunoblotting with reference antisera, TA, and a monoclonal antibody specific for M gallisepticum. Mycoplasma gallisepticum antiserum cross-reacted with M synoviae polypeptides in ELISA and TA immunoblots. Two major M synoviae polypeptides (88 and 53 kilodaltons [kD]) cross-reacted with M gallisepticum antisera in TA immunoblots. An M gallisepticum polypeptide of 70 kD cross-reacted with M synoviae in TA immunoblots. In contrast, M gallisepticum and M synoviae reference antisera cross-reacted when immunoblotted with heterologous antigens. A monoclonal antibody specific for M gallisepticum bound to a 69-kD polypeptide in lectin-purified and whole-cell M gallisepticum protein fractions in immunoblot assays. The lectin-purified fraction hemagglutinated chicken RBC. Seemingly, the 69-kD polypeptide may constitute all or part of the M gallisepticum hemagglutinin.     

鸡滑液囊支原体的分离和鉴定研究

从河南某肉种鸡场疑似鸡滑液囊支原体感染的病鸡跗关节样品进行病原的分离与鉴定.分离菌经瑞氏染色,在油镜下呈球形或椭圆形.在固体培养基上表现为细小、光滑、致密的小菌落,菌落形态为“煎蛋状”.L型细菌鉴定发现菌体仍保持原有形态.菌体能够吸附红细胞,分解葡萄糖,但不能分解精氨酸和尿素,还可致SPF鸡胚死亡,说明该分离菌为支原体.进一步的血清学试验结果表明,该分离菌为鸡滑液囊支原体,而不是鸡毒支原体.根据已发表的鸡滑液囊支原体血凝素基因序列vlhA设计合成一对引物,经PCR扩增,该菌体能够扩增出鸡滑液囊支原体(773 bp)的特异性片段.人工感染试验结果显示,SPF鸡能够复制出自然病例.     

In vitro antibiotic susceptibility of field isolates of Mycoplasma synoviae in Argentina

Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined in vitro for 7 antibiotics (aivlosin, enrofloxacine, tylosin, tiamulin, kitasamycin, chlortetracycline, and oxytetracycline) against eight recent local Argentinean isolates and two standard strains of Mycoplasma synoviae. Aivlosin (3-acetyl-4"-isovaleryl tylosin tartrate), tylosin, and tiamulin showed the lowest MICs with MIC90s of 0.006, 0.012, and 0.05 microg/ml, respectively. Except one strain that showed resistant values to chlortetracycline (> or = 12.5 microg/ml), all the analyzed strains were susceptible in different degrees to all the antibiotics tested. In this study, the improved activity of the tylosin-derived drug, aivlosin, was confirmed because it showed, in most strains, MIC values half those for tylosin.     

鸡滑液支原体的分离鉴定与多位点序列分型

为明确国内鸡滑液支原体（Mycoplasma synoviae,MS）的流行情况,本研究在2016~2021年间,从山东、四川、河北等10省份共计分离到54株MS,通过多位点序列分型（multilocus sequence typing,MLST）方法对分离株进行基因分型,同时结合国内外的分离株信息,进一步分析了不同菌株间的进化关系。结果表明,54株MS分离株可分为9种ST型,分别是34、44、93、95、96、102、103、148、153,主要流行的ST型为ST34和ST93;按照进化关系可分为A-I 共9类,其中最主要的流行株为A类和E类。通过对国内外MS流行株进行遗传进化分析,可依据地域将其分为亚洲株、欧洲株、北美株和其他株,其中,中国分离株有独特的地域进化关系。本研究结果丰富了国内的MS流行病学数据,对防控与净化MS具有重要意义。     

鸡滑液囊支原体的分离鉴定及病理组织学观察

为了解宁夏及其周边不同地区蛋鸡场中的鸡滑液囊支原体的种类及其致病力,采用改良Frey氏鸡滑液囊支原体培养基,从疑似感染鸡滑液囊支原体的不同蛋鸡群中分离出病原株,设计鸡滑液囊支原体vlhA基因特异性引物,对分离到的病原进行基因序列扩增并测序,使用MEGA6.0软件中的邻接法(Neighbor-joining,NJ)构建分离株系统发育树并进行遗传进化分析,采用从临床症状最明显的鸡体分离的菌株进行动物感染试验,制作石蜡切片,HE染色,病理组织学观察。结果表明,所分离到的病原菌均为鸡滑液囊支原体,部分菌株之间极其相似;鸡滑液囊支原体不仅可以使鸡只关节肿胀、生长缓慢,也可引起鸡只的肝脏轻微肿大,肝细胞部分坏死、间质增生;脾脏结缔组织增生,出血。     

Identification of Mycoplasma gallisepticum and M. synoviae by flow cytometry

Immunofluorescence and flow cytometric methods were examined to detect and distinguish Mycoplasma gallisepticum and M. synoviae. The procedure employed 24-hr broth cultures of each organism, direct immunofluorescence staining with either homologous or heterologous antiserum, and analyses by flow cytometry. The organisms were distinguishable on the basis of fluorescent profiles when stained with the appropriate antiserum.     

Revised Mycoplasma synoviae vlhA PCRs

Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) is an important pathogen of chickens and turkeys. In recent years sequence analysis of the partial MS variable lipoprotein and hemagglutinin A (vlhA) gene PCR product has been utilized routinely for MS strain genotyping. Several PCR assays have been proposed for the amplification of the conserved upstream region of the MS vlhA gene; however, in several clinical instances the published assays failed to generate vlhA PCR products from confirmed MS-positive cases. These occurrences hindered our capability to genotype those cases. In silico analysis of the published MS vlhA PCRs raised concerns, which were addressed by the design of revised MS vlhA PCRs. The published and revised assays were tested for their relative sensitivity and specificity with laboratory and clinical MS-positive samples. One of the revised MS vlhA PCRs (revised Hong) was demonstrated to be more sensitive and specific, and amplified all clinical samples analyzed in this study.     

Evaluation of the non-temperature-sensitive field clonal isolates of the Mycoplasma synoviae vaccine strain MS-H

The live attenuated temperature-sensitive (ts+) Mycoplasma synovia (MS) strain, MS-H, is used as a vaccine in a number of countries to control virulent MS infection in commercial chicken flocks. Nine out of 50 isolates made from flocks vaccinated with MS-H were found to have lost the ts+ phenotype of the original vaccine strain. In order to examine the influence of the ts- phenotype on virulence of the isolates, four of the ts- isolates, the MS-H vaccine, and the vaccine parent strain 86079/7NS were administered by aerosol in conjunction with infectious bronchitis virus to 3-wk-old specific-pathogen-free chickens. The four ts- clones induced only minimal air sac lesions that were not different in severity from those caused by MS-H vaccine; however, the vaccine parent strain 86079/7NS caused air sac lesions that were significantly greater than those of MS-H and all ts- clones. The vaccine parent strain 86079/7NS and two of the ts- clones were recovered from the air sacs of the respectively infected chickens whereas the MS-H vaccine and two other ts- clones were not. Three of the ts- isolates caused increased tracheal mucosal thicknesses that were significantly greater than those from birds inoculated with MS-H, and one caused increased tracheal mucosal thicknesses that were significantly less than those from birds inoculated with 86079/7NS. In conclusion, unlike the MS-H vaccine, the MS-H ts- clones were associated with minor changes in tracheal mucosa; however, unlike the vaccine parent strain, they did not induce lesions in the air sacs. These results suggest that factors other than ts+ phenotype are involved in the attenuation of the MS-H vaccine.     

Sialidase activity in Mycoplasma synoviae

Eleven strains of the avian pathogen Mycoplasma synoviae were evaluated for the presence of sialidase activity with the use of the fluorogenic substrate 2'-(4-methylumbelliferyl)-alpha-D-N-acetylneuraminic acid and the sialidase inhibitor 2-deoxy-2,3- didehydro-N-acetylneuraminic acid. The kinetics of in vitro growth in modified Frey medium were also assessed for each strain. Five strains had been isolated from clinically symptomatic chickens, and strains WVU 1853T and K3344 have been demonstrated to be capable of reproducing disease in specific-pathogen-free chickens. All strains exhibited sialidase activity, although the amount varied 65-fold among strains (P < 0.0001) from 1.3 x 10(-7) to 2.0 x 10(-9) activity units per colony-forming unit. Strains originally isolated from clinically symptomatic birds had more (P < 0.05) sialidase activity than strains from asymptomatic birds. Strain WVU1853T exhibited the most sialidase activity (P < 0.0001) and grew to the highest culture density (P < 0.0001) among strains, but across strains, the rank correlation of growth rate with sialidase activity was not significant. Negligible activity was detected in conditioned culture supernatant fluid. This is the first report of sialidase activity in pathogenic strains of M. synoviae, which suggests a potential enzymatic basis for virulence of the organism.     

In vitro susceptibilities to fluoroquinolones in current and archived Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma synoviae isolates from meat-type turkeys

Monitoring of susceptibility to antibiotics in field isolates of pathogenic avian mycoplasmas is important for appropriate choice of treatment. Our study compared in vitro susceptibility to enrofloxacin and difloxacin in recent (2005-2006) isolates of Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma synoviae from meat-type turkey flocks with archived (1997-2003) isolates and reference strains. Comparison of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values determined by microtest, agar dilution and commercial Etest showed good agreement, but underscored the need for standardized methods for testing. Notably, while the commercial Etest was convenient and accurate for determining MICs for enrofloxacin in the range 0.002-0.094mug/ml, the endpoint of inhibition for M. gallisepticum and M. synoviae strains with MIC values >/=1.0mug/ml could not be determined. A decrease in susceptibility to both fluoroquinolones was detected in archived strains but to a greater degree in recent isolates, most of which had MICs above the NCCLS susceptibility breakpoint for these antibiotics (相似文献   

川西地区鸡滑液囊支原体分离株的部分生物学特性及其VlhA基因遗传进化分析

为了解鸡滑液囊支原体(MS)在川西地区的感染情况,本研究采集15个肉鸡场疑似MS感染的病鸡咽拭子、跗关节和胸部滑液囊样本共75份,对经PCR检测为阳性的样本进行MS分离,并对分离株的主要生物学特性进行研究,以及对分离株的VlhA基因进行遗传进化分析。结果显示,75份样本MS PCR阳性检出率为41.33%(31/75),11个鸡场感染该病,场阳性率为73.33%(11/15);但仅从其中3个鸡场分离到9株MS,分离株菌落与菌体形态与已知MS培养特性相符,各分离株培养浓度为10~4CCU/mL^10~6CCU/mL,分离株以5×10~5CCU接种7日龄SPF鸡胚,鸡胚于接种后7 d^9 d死亡,且分离回收到接种菌株;9株MS分离株VlhA基因的同源性为86.1%~99.9%,与参考株同源性为86.2%~95.4%,其中分离自同一鸡场的7株MS VlhA基因同源性为96.4%~99.9%;分离株VlhA基因遗传进化分析显示,其中分离自两个不同鸡场的两株MS与国内流行株的亲缘关系最近,而分离自另一鸡场的7株MS与中东地区分离的3株MS亲缘关系较近,表明MS在川西地区肉鸡场呈高感染率,MS VlhA基因变异较大。本研究为川西地区MS的进一步研究提供了基础材料和科学依据。     

Lyophilization of Mycoplasma synoviae hemagglutination antigen

Two hemagglutination (HA) antigens produced from Mycoplasma synoviae isolates WVU-1853m and FMT grown in Frey's mycoplasma broth were lyophilized for HA preservation. Some increase in the HA titer occurred following lyophilization.     

Recombinant DNA probes for Mycoplasma synoviae

A genomic library was prepared from Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) strain WVU 1853 cloned in plasmid vector pUC8 and transformed in Escherichia coli host JM83. In dot blot assays, four transformed E. coli clones hybridized with 32P-labeled chromosomal DNA of MS but not with 32P-labeled chromosomal DNA of M. gallisepticum (MG) strain S6. In Southern hybridization, each of the CsCl-purified recombinant plasmid clones was shown to contain two MS DNA fragments between 1.0 to 2.3 kbp in length. 32P-Labeled probes prepared from each of the four recombinant plasmids hybridized in dot blot assays with MS strain WVU 1853 and nine MS field isolates but not with MG strains S6, K810, F2F10, four MG field isolates, and 15 other species of avian mycoplasmas.     

Antigen heterogeneity among Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides SC isolates: discrimination of major surface proteins

The protein and antigen profiles of 60 isolates, strains and the type strain PG1 of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides SC were compared by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblot analysis. Analysis using contagious bovine pleuropneumonia antisera and hyperimmune rabbit sera against several representative strains revealed some differences in protein profiles and variability in antigens among strains from different geographic regions. The most common antigenic bands had the molecular masses of 110, 95, 80, 69, 62, 60, 48, 44, 39 and 38 kDa. There were differences among European strains, where a larger group coming from Italy lacked the p98 antigen, thus, with one exception, distinguishing the Italian strains from Portuguese, French and Spanish strains. African, Australian and PG1 strains showed heterogenic profiles, with quantitative differences and in a few strains some antigenic bands were absent. The group constituting African, Australian and PG1 strains was characterised by the presence of 71.5/70 kDa antigens, which were not detected in European strains. Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides SC membrane proteins were characterised by Triton X-114 partitioning and p110, p98, p95, p62/60 and p48 were identified as immunogenic antigens. The simultaneous presence of these five antigens was common to all the sera examined and, therefore, indicates the diagnostic potential of immunoblotting. Most immunodominant antigens are surface-exposed proteins as determined by the trypsin treatment.     

Restriction endonuclease analysis of Mycoplasma synoviae strains

A diverse group of Mycoplasma synoviae strains from various hosts, pathological processes, and geographic areas collected over about 25 years were analyzed by restriction endonuclease analysis. The results suggest that restriction endonuclease analysis of M. synoviae strains may be a useful strain identification tool to study epidemiological problems.     

Immunoglobulin G Fc receptors of Mycoplasma synoviae

The objective of the study was to demonstrate and characterize IgG Fc receptors of Mycoplasma synoviae. Two IgG Fc receptors were recognized with molecular weights (MW) of 80,000 and 90,000 and isoelectric focusing points (pI) of 5.3 and 4.3, respectively. The activity of the IgG Fc receptors was eliminated by exposure to 0.1 unit of protease for 10 minutes. Mild reduction in activity was observed with trypsin between 100 to 1000 units for 10 minutes. The IgG Fc receptors were resistant to exposure to 60 C for 60 minutes and to 100 C for 20 minutes. The M. synoviae IgG Fc receptors were strongly reactive to affinity-purified Fc Fragment of chicken IgG; affinity-purified chicken IgG; and serum IgG of chicken, quail, pigeon, and turkey. A moderate reaction was detected to human affinity-purified IgG, and weak reactions were detected to affinity-purified IgG of cat, cow, dog, goat, guinea pig, horse, and rabbit. No reaction occurred with IgG of duck, goose, mouse, pig or rat.