Mycoplasma gallisepticum infection in the grey partridge Perdix perdix: outbreak description, histopathology, biochemistry and antioxidant parameters

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The grey partridge is an important game bird in Europe that has declined considerably over the last decades. The production and release of farm-bred birds can be threatened by infectious agents. The objective of this study was to describe the outbreak, pathology, and blood and tissue biochemical responses in a flock of grey partridges naturally infected with <it>Mycoplasma gallisepticum</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Morbidity and mortality rates were 100% and 60%, respectively. Necropsy revealed an accumulation of caseous exudate within the infraorbital sinuses, tracheitis, pneumonia and airsacculitis. There were significant increases in activities of lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase and amylase, and levels of total protein and glucose in <it>Mycoplasma</it>-infected birds when compared to control. Catalase showed significantly lower activity in the heart, lungs, liver and gonads of <it>Mycoplasma</it>-infected birds. Glutathione-S-transferase activity was elevated in the eye and the associated infraorbital sinus and kidneys, and decreased in the liver. Decreased levels of reduced glutathione were found in the heart, kidneys, liver and gonads. The activity of glutathione reductase was lower only in the lungs. Compared to healthy birds, mycoplasmosis in the grey partridge caused significant differences in the level of lipid peroxidation in lungs and plasma (p < 0.05), while the ferric reducing antioxidant power was lower in the heart and kidneys (p < 0.01). Significant correlations among responses of the antioxidant parameters were found namely in the heart, lungs, spleen, liver and plasma. There were also numerous significant inter-tissue correlations of all the studied antioxidant parameters.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The present study demonstrates the high susceptibility of grey partridges to natural infection by <it>M. gallisepticum</it>, the severity of the disease based on histopathology, and the modulation of blood chemical profiles and oxidative stress-associated parameters in the avian hosts, thus enhancing the understanding of the pathogenesis of mycoplasmosis in birds. Moreover, the reported reference values can be useful for the evaluation of the state of health in grey partridges.</p

Studium mykoplazmovych infekci skotu a malych prezvykavcu.

Animals from selected cattle herds in the Czech Republic were examined and a total of 797 samples were collected for laboratory analyses. From these, 656 mycoplasma (MP)strains were isolated and further identified on the basis of their biochemical activities and sensitivity to digitonin and by an epi-immunofluorescence test. The most frequently isolated species were Ureaplasma diversum and Mycoplasma arginini, found especially in young animals. Mycoplasma bovis failed to be detected by any of the assays used, including ELISA and tested-PCR. Surveys were also carried out in selected herds of sheep and goats because, in terms of MP infections, the disease status of these ruminants had not previously been studied in the CR. The identification of MP isolates was again based on their biochemical activity and sensitivity to digitonin. Using the tests of biochemical activity, the highest numbers of isolates from sheep were identified in liquid, glucose-containing media and those from goats in liquid, urea-containing media. The isolates were further assessed by their sensitivity to digitonin and, in most cases, they were classed within the Mycoplasma genus. The examination confirmed the assumption that the CR is free from contagious agalactia of sheep and goats.Available from STL Prague, CZ / NTK - National Technical LibrarySIGLECZCzech Republi