Detection of antibodies to Mycoplasma gallisepticum vaccine ts-11 by an autologous pMGA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

Mycoplasma gallisepticum is a poultry pathogen that causes respiratory disease and loss of egg production worldwide. A live attenuated vaccine, ts-11, has been used for control of M. gallisepticum in several countries. The rapid serum agglutination test is usually used as an indicator of flock response to vaccination; however, in some flocks, the detected response may be weak or absent. With the use of specific monoclonal antibodies against M. gallisepticum strain S6 pMGA in immunoaffinity purification, the major membrane antigen of ts-11 was purified. An indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed with the purified antigen, and its potential for detection of antibodies induced after ts-11 vaccination was compared with an indirect ELISA with M. gallisepticum strain S6 pMGA. In the presence of high levels of ts-11-induced antibodies, both antigens detected similar numbers of positive sera. However, when lower levels of antibodies were present, ts-11 pMGA showed a higher sensitivity than S6 pMGA. Further examination of ts-11 pMGA with Mycoplasma synoviae-infected chicken sera revealed that ts-11 pMGA is specific for M. gallisepticum antibodies. With a panel of sera from ts-11-vaccinated or non-ts-11-vaccinated field chickens, the ts-11 pMGA ELISA was found to be more sensitive than the commercial rapid serum agglutination test in detecting antibodies to ts-11 vaccine. The results from this study suggest that the major membrane antigen of M. gallisepticum may have slightly different antigenic profiles in different strains, thereby necessitating the use of autologous antigens in serodiagnostic assays to increase sensitivity of the tests for mycoplasma antibodies. Thus, the low level of antibody response after ts-11 vaccination is, at least partially, due to the low ability of the current diagnostic antigens to bind ts-11 antibodies.     

Differentiation of the vaccine F-strain from other strains of Mycoplasma gallisepticum by restriction endonuclease analysis

The electrophoretic patterns of the nucleic acids (DNA) of Mycoplasma gallisepticum strains digested with the restriction enzymes Bam HI, Eco RI and Hind III were useful for differentiating the vaccine F-strain from other strains of M. gallisepticum. The procedure was more sensitive than the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) technique. The vaccine F-strain, represented by cultures designated F-K810 and F-F2F10 was clearly differentiated from other strains of M. gallisepticum. This procedure may be useful in field studies to determine if the vaccine strain will replace wild-type M. gallisepticum in commercial layers.     

Safety of Mycoplasma gallisepticum vaccine strain 6/85 after backpassage in turkeys

The objective of this research was to evaluate the safety of the 6/85 strain vaccine strain of Mycoplasma gallisepticum in turkeys by backpassing the vaccine strain up to 10 times by contact infection in turkeys and challenging turkeys with the resulting backpassaged strain. The vaccine strain, however, did not spread to in-contact turkeys, and it was necessary to reisolate the organism before challenging turkeys for the next passage. The challenge strain, therefore, was one that had been backpassaged four times in turkeys, with a total in vivo time in turkeys of 66 days. The backpassaged 6/85 vaccine strain was no different in pathogenicity than the original vaccine strain, except that at 10 days postchallenge, it was isolated in higher numbers from air sacs. Both the original 6/85 vaccine strain and the backpassaged strain were apathogenic in turkeys, except for a slightly increased diameter of the tracheal mucosa at 10 days postchallenge; at 20 days postchallenge the tracheal mucosal thickness was no different from that of controls.     

Poor systemic antibody response after vaccination of commercial broiler breeders with Mycoplasma gallisepticum vaccine ts-11 not associated with susceptibility to challenge

A live attenuated Mycoplasma gallisepticum vaccine, ts-11, has been used for control of M gallisepticum in several countries. The rapid serum agglutination test is usually used as an indicator of flock response to vaccination; however, in some flocks, the detected response may be weak or absent. We investigated whether the low level, or lack, of systemic antibodies in ts-11-vaccinated flocks is correlated with susceptibility to infection after challenge with a virulent M. gallisepticum strain. Birds from 2 separate ts-11-vaccinated commercial flocks with no, or weak, rapid serum agglutination responses (at 11 or 14 wk postvaccination) were randomly selected and subjected to aerosol challenge with either M gallisepticum strain Ap3AS or sterile mycoplasma broth. A group of nonvaccinated specific-pathogen-free chickens at similar age were also exposed to aerosolization with M. gallisepticum strain Ap3AS and used as positive controls. Postmortem examination of the birds, performed 2 wk after challenge, revealed no significant difference in microscopic tracheal lesions or mucosal thicknesses between the ts-11-vaccinated field birds irrespective of their aerosolization treatment. However, both microscopic tracheal lesions and tracheal mucosal thicknesses of nonvaccinated challenged birds were significantly greater than those of ts-11 vaccinates. Hence, broiler breeders vaccinated in the field showed significant protection against virulent M. gallisepticum challenge even when no serum antibody was detected by rapid serum agglutination test. These results reveal that seroconversion detected by rapid serum agglutination test after ts-11 vaccination is not a reliable predictor of protection against M. gallisepticum infection. The possible significance of local antibody response and cell-mediated immunity against M. gallisepticum infection is discussed.     

Isolation and characterization of a 6/85-like Mycoplasma gallisepticum from commercial laying hens

Eighty-three-week-old table egg layers with swollen sinuses were presented with a history of increased mortality. Serology revealed positive titers to Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG). The birds were part of a flock in which some birds had been vaccinated with 6/85 live MG vaccine at 18 wk of age. Tracheal cultures were obtained from both vaccinated and unvaccinated birds within the flock. The cultures were indistinguishable from 6/85 vaccine by both random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis and DNA sequence analysis. Challenge studies were performed to compare the field isolates with 6/85 vaccine and the R strain of MG. The field isolates produced a greater antibody response by serum plate agglutination than did the 6/85 vaccine. The isolates effectively colonized the trachea without increasing the tracheal mucosal thickness; however, they did not extensively colonize the air sacs or cause airsacculitis in the experimental birds.     

Floor pen study to evaluate the serological response of broiler breeders after vaccination with ts-11 strain Mycoplasma gallisepticum vaccine

To determine the Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) rapid serum plate agglutination (RSPA) test response of broiler breeders after ts-11 strain vaccination, 55 Cobb pullets derived from a nonvaccinated, MG-negative, commercial, broiler breeder grandparent flock were monitored from 8 to 20 wk of age (over a 12-wk trial period). To evaluate the effect of lateral spread of the ts-11 vaccine strain on RSPA test results from commingled and adjacently penned birds, treatment groups included (A) birds vaccinated with ts-11strain MG at 8 wk of age, (B) commingled nonvaccinates in the same pen as the vaccinated birds, (C) nonvaccinates in a second pen separated from the first pen by a distance of 2 m, and (D) birds vaccinated with ts-11 strain MG at 8 wk of age and kept in a separate room. Rapid serum plate agglutination tests were performed once a week for 6 wk and then every 2 wk for 6 more wk, postvaccination. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay specific fbr ts-11 strain MG was used to confirm vaccination, and a second PCR specific for non-ts-11 strain MG was used to confirm the absence of field infection. Seroconversion was first detected by the RSPA test 2 wk postvaccination and attained maximum positive rates of 58% at 12 wk postvaccination in treatment A and 60% at 8 wk postvaccination in treatment D. Seroconversion rates in nonvaccinated, commingled pullets was 10% at 5 wk and 30% at 12 wk after the vaccination of pen mates. The ts-11-specific PCR detected the vaccine strain in 80%-100% of the vaccinated birds 2 wk after vaccination. One of 15 nonvaccinated birds penned 2 m from vaccinated birds yielded ts-11 by PCR assay 12 wk after vaccination, which indicates that the spread of ts-11 over short distances may be possible in situations in which there is a common caretaker. PCR on tracheal swabs taken 12 wk postvaccination detected ts-l1 in 50% and 60% of the vaccinated birds in treatments A and D, respectively; in 30% of the commingled nonvaccinates; and in 6.6% of the separately penned nonvaccinates. In contrast, choanal swabs collected from vaccinated birds at 12 wk were 21% and 40% PCR positive for ts-11 strain MG, while those from nonvaccinates were negative. All samples were PCR negative for field strain MG. The pattern of seroconversion as measured by RSPA test in small groups of broiler breeders was different from that previously reported for leghorns. Lateral spread of the ts-11 strain to commingled pen mates occurred rapidly, causing RSPA seroconversion patterns that mimicked those of the vaccinated pen mates.     

鸡毒支原体强弱毒株荧光定量PCR鉴别检测方法的建立

为建立一种能鉴别鸡毒支原体(MG)强、弱毒株的快速检测方法,本研究根据GenBank中MG强毒株和弱毒株的基因组序列,选取特异性保守区序列设计了2对引物和2奈探针,分别用于强弱毒株和弱毒株的检测,优化反应条件,建立了能区分MG强、弱毒株的荧光定量PCR检测方法.该法特异性强,对鸡常见呼吸道病原体的反应均为阴性;灵敏度高,可检测到100拷贝/μL的模板;稳定性好,批内和批间试验Ct值的变异系数小.本研究建立的MG强、弱毒鉴别检测方法简便、快捷,为该病的防控与净化提供新方法、新思路.     

鸡败血支原体鸡传染性鼻炎二联灭活疫苗菌种复壮鉴定试验

从国外引进的鸡败血支原体R株和副鸡嗜血杆菌221株和668株的冻干品,经我所扩增复壮和系统的鉴定试验证明:鸡败血支原体R株属典型的强毒株,副鸡嗜血杆菌221和668株分别属典型的A型和C型强毒株.经过免疫原性试验、毒力鉴定试验及效力试验证明,这三种菌株是制备鸡败血支原体、鸡传染性鼻炎二联疫苗最好的菌株.     

用PCR和探针杂交法检测鸡败血霉形体

根据鸡败血霉形体ｆＭＧ－２核酸片断序列,设计合成了１对２５ｂｐ寡核苷酸引物,对鸡败血霉形体基因组ＤＮＡ进行扩增,均获得预期的７３２ｂｐ扩增产物,检测灵敏度为１ｂｐ;参考菌株ＤＮＡ无扩增。回收纯化琼脂糖电泳凝胶中的扩增产物,ＤＩＧ随机引物法合成核酸探讨,Ｄｏｔ－ｂｌｏｔ杂交试验,鸡败血霉形体呈阳性,检测灵敏度为１００ｐｇ;其他为阴性。对自然发病鸡群检测进一步表明,建立的ＰＣＲ和探针杂交法具有高度的灵     

The effects of ts-11 strain Mycoplasma gallisepticum vaccination in commercial layers on egg production and selected egg quality parameters

Live Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) vaccines have been USDA approved and licensed for use in commercial layer chickens since 1988; however, egg production and egg quality data exist only for the F strain of MG. Information pertinent to the effects of ts-11 MG on egg and eggshell quality parameters, as well as egg size distribution, is lacking. In this study, pullets were inoculated at 10 wk of age with ts-11 strain MG and placed in biological isolation units at 10 birds/unit. Hen-day egg production, eggshell strength, Haugh unit score, pimpling incidence, and blood/meat spot incidence were monitored and recorded in each trial through a 45-wk production cycle. Further, eggs from all treatments were collected daily, Monday-Thursday, and individually weighed. Results of this study indicate that no significant difference was observed between the treatments for the parameters measured or for egg size distribution. Therefore, these data should lessen producers' concerns pertaining to the impact of ts-11 strain MG on egg production, egg and eggshell quality parameters, and egg size distribution.     

应用多重套式PCR检测鸡毒支原体和鸡滑液囊支原体

根据已发表的鸡毒和鸡滑液支原体血凝素基因序列pMGA和vlhA各设计两对引物,建立鉴别诊断两种支原体的多重套式PCR方法,对其进行温度条件、Ⅱ步模板浓度优化及特异性、敏感性实验。该方法在两步PCR后能特异性地扩增出MG(408 bp)和MS(688 bp)两个目的片段。应用于临床样品检测,与支原体分离、SPA检测比较结果PCR灵敏度高于病原分离。     

Differentiation of Mycoplasma gallisepticum strains using amplified fragment length polymorphism and other DNA-based typing methods

Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) was used to type 34 strains of Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) including vaccine strains ts-11, 6/85, and F. Using AFLP, a total of 10 groups, with 30 distinguishable AFLP typing profiles, were generated in the analysis. The AFLP method was able to identify and differentiate both MG field strains from recent outbreaks and those that were epidemiologically related. The AFLP procedure will provide assistance in identifying the sources of mycoplasma infections. Vaccine strains were also differentiated from other field strains, which will be useful in the evaluation of vaccination programs. The AFLP discrimination potential was compared to other molecular typing techniques such as gene-targeted typing by DNA sequence analysis of the MG cytadhesin-like protein encoding gene, mgc2, and random amplified polymorphic DNA assay on the same MG isolates. The three assays correlated well with one another, with AFLP analysis having a much higher discriminatory power and reproducibility.     

Influence of swab material on the detection of Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma synoviae by real-time PCR

Recent reports have shown an increased recovery of cells from flocked nylon swabs which may improve the specimen quality and the real sensitivity of diagnostic tests in a clinical setting. In this study, the detection of Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) and M. synoviae (MS), using dry swabs of different materials (nylon flocked, cotton, and polyester), was investigated using real-time TaqMan PCR protocols. Different types of samples, including dilutions of pure broth cultures of MG and MS as well as swabs from tracheas of experimentally infected chickens and field cases of infection, were analyzed. There were no statistical differences in real-time PCR results among the different swab types (P < 0.05), indicating that this is not likely to be a significant factor in MG and MS detection by this method.     

Effect of temperature-sensitive Mycoplasma gallisepticum vaccine preparations and routes of inoculation on resistance of white leghorns to challenge

One-week-old chickens were vaccinated with live or formalin-killed temperature-sensitive (TS) Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) either intranasally (IN) or subcutaneously (SQ). Live TS MG protected chickens against S6 strain challenge directly into the air sacs, regardless of route of vaccination. Killed MG, however, protected chickens only when administered SQ. Antibody to MG was detected in sera and in the tracheal and air-sac washings of only the chickens given live vaccine IN. The antibody present in tracheal and air-sac washings may be one of the mechanisms that play a role in resistance to MG challenge.     

鸡毒支原体敏感株与耐药株超微结构的比较

对临床分离和实验室药物压力下筛选的鸡毒支原体耐药株与敏感株进行超微结构的观察和比较.结果显示鸡毒支原体敏感株呈多形性,柔软且有较大的变形性,可清晰观察到细胞膜分为外、中、内三层膜,并可观察到裂殖繁殖方式;有的支原体在繁殖时先在极端产生泡状突起,形成不均等分裂.在恩诺沙星药物压力下敏感株产生耐药性后其外膜显著增厚,导致支原体的多形性减弱或消失,呈现出较为一致的圆形;细胞膜内层周围存在排列整齐、结构紧密、类似微管样的结构,胞内电子密度明显升高.临床分离的耐药株超微结构观察结果与实验室条件下筛选的耐药株一致:凡是超微结构发生变化的,均存在耐药表型,而且高水平耐药株的超微结构变化最为突出.研究结果表明耐药性的产生可导致鸡毒支原体超微结构明显的改变,并可能引起抗原性变异.     

鸡毒支原体与鸡滑液囊支原体双重PCR检测方法的建立

为建立能同时检测鸡毒支原体(Mycoplasma gallisepticum, MG)和鸡滑液囊支原体(Mycoplasma synoviae,MS)的双重PCR诊断方法,该研究根据GenBank中登录的MG gapA基因序列和MS heat shock ATP-dependent protease基因序列,设计2对特异性引物,通过对PCR扩增条件的优化,建立了能够同时检测MG和MS的双重PCR诊断方法。特异性检测结果显示,该方法能够扩增出729 bp的MG和309 bp的MS特异性片段,对禽巴氏杆菌、大肠杆菌、鸡白痢沙门菌、副鸡禽杆菌核酸扩增均为阴性;敏感性检测结果显示,对MG和MS DNA的最低检出量均为5×10^-2 ng/μL;临床样品的检测结果显示,所建立的双重PCR方法可同时有效地检测出MG、MS混合感染和单独感染。该研究建立的鸡毒支原体与鸡滑液囊支原体双重PCR方法具有良好的特异性、敏感性、重复性,为快速、高效检测MG和MS提供了技术支持。     

Effect of selected water temperatures used in Mycoplasma gallisepticum vaccine reconstitution on titer at selected time intervals

Numerous methods are currently used throughout the poultry industry for the administration of vaccines. Each utilizes water for vaccine reconstitution and/or administration, including two of the three commercially available live Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) vaccines. Selected water temperatures were used to reconstitute and/or dilute the three commercially available live MG vaccines. Water temperatures included 4 C, 22 C (room temperature), and 32 C, and titer (color change units) was recorded at four time intervals, at point of reconstitution (time 0), 15, 30, and 60 min postreconstitution of the vaccines (time periods 15, 30, and 60, respectively). Results for F strain MG (FMG) vaccine showed significant decreases in titer from time 0 to time 15 for the 22 C and 32 C water temperatures but no significant decrease for any time period for FMG reconstituted with 4 C water. For 6/85 strain MG no significant difference in titer was noted for any of four time periods within any of the three water temperatures. For ts-11 strain MG a significant decrease was observed in titer at each of the four postdilution time periods when diluted with 32 C water. There was no significant decrease in titer at any time period for ts-11 MG vaccine when diluted with either 4 C or 22 C water.     

Characterization of in vivo-acquired resistance to macrolides of Mycoplasma gallisepticum strains isolated from poultry

ABSTRACT: The macrolide class of antibiotics, including tylosin and tilmicosin, is widely used in the veterinary field for prophylaxis and treatment of mycoplasmosis. In vitro susceptibility testing of 50 strains of M. gallisepticum isolated in Israel during the period 1997-2010 revealed that acquired resistance to tylosin as well as to tilmicosin was present in 50% of them. Moreover, 72% (13/18) of the strains isolated from clinical samples since 2006 showed acquired resistance to enrofloxacin, tylosin and tilmicosin. Molecular typing of the field isolates, performed by gene-target sequencing (GTS), detected 13 molecular types (I-XIII). Type II was the predominant type prior to 2006 whereas type X, first detected in 2008, is currently prevalent. All ten type X strains were resistant to both fluoroquinolones and macrolides, suggesting selective pressure leading to clonal dissemination of resistance. However, this was not a unique event since resistant strains with other GTS molecular types were also found. Concurrently, the molecular basis for macrolide resistance in M. gallisepticum was identified. Our results revealed a clear-cut correlation between single point mutations A2058G or A2059G in domain V of the gene encoding 23S rRNA (rrnA, MGA_01) and acquired macrolide resistance in M. gallisepticum. Indeed, all isolates with MIC ≥ 0.63 μg/mL to tylosin and with MIC ≥ 1.25 μg/mL to tilmicosin possess one of these mutations, suggesting an essential role in decreased susceptibility of M. gallisepticum to 16-membered macrolides.     

Fingerprinting of Mycoplasma gallisepticum strains isolated from multiple-age layers vaccinated with live F strain

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) isolates were obtained from three multiple-age commercial layer farms on which live F strain vaccine had been administered to each replacement flock for at least 2 years. All such isolates had restriction endonuclease DNA and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis protein patterns characteristic of F strain. These cultures also hybridized in dot blot assays with both the MG strain-specific and species-specific DNA probes. In contrast, the original MG isolate that came from one of the farms before vaccination began clearly was not F strain. These results suggest that continuous use of live F strain vaccine in each replacement pullet flock on multiple-age commercial layer sites will result in displacement of the original field strain of MG with the vaccine strain.