Time-Dependent Recovery of Mycoplasma lipofaciens (Strain ML64) from Incubated Infertile Chicken Eggs and Dead in Shell Chicken Embryos

• Published in: Avian Diseases
• Main Authors: Michael Lierz, Hafez M. Hafez
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: American Association of Avian Pathologists 2008
• Subjects: Aun; Baja; Accipiter gentilis; Northern Goshawk
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1637/8200-122807-Reg.1

Mycoplasmas are pathogens of different avian species, and they are able to be vertically transmitted. Even detected, Mycoplasma prevalence in raptor eggs is very low. In contrast to poultry, raptor eggs submitted for investigations are usually incubated. To investigate the influence of incubation length on the recovery of mycoplasmas from eggs, infertile specific-pathogen-free chicken eggs and embryos were infected with Mycoplasma lipofaciens (strain ML64), which had previously been isolated from an egg of a northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), in two different dosages. The eggs were investigated up to 12 days after infection (infertile eggs) or embryonic death. Mycoplasmas were recovered over the entire period after embryonic death by isolation. It was possible to re-isolate M. lipofaciens (strain ML64) from infertile eggs infected with 106 colony-forming units (CFUs) up to 12 days, but only up to 7 days if infected with 102 CFUs, which may be closer to the situation after natural infection. This study demonstrates that incubation of infertile eggs does have an influence on the recovery rate of mycoplasmas. This influence must be considered if interpreting results of Mycoplasma investigations in eggs of nonpoultry species. Additionally, it is recommended to use dead in shell embryos rather than infertile eggs for Mycoplasma detection.Efecto del tiempo de incubación en el aislamiento de Mycoplasma lipofaciens (cepa ML64) a partir de huevos infértiles incubados y embriones de pollo muertos en el cascarón.Los micoplasmas son patógenos de diferentes especies aviares que pueden ser transmitidos verticalmente. Aun cuando se detectan, la prevalencia de micoplasmas en huevos de aves de presa es muy baja. Contrario a lo que ocurre en las aves domésticas, usualmente los huevos de aves de presa enviados para análisis han sido incubados. Para investigar la influencia de la duración de la incubación de los huevos sobre el aislamiento de Mycoplasma, se infectaron huevos infértiles y embriones de aves libres de patógenos ...