Seroprevalence of Mycoplasma gallisepticum in wild birds in Belgium

• Main Authors: Michiels, Tinneke, Lambrecht, Bénédicte, Martel, An, Butaye, Patrick
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: Veterinary Sciences; prevalence; wild birds; Mycoplasma gallisepticum; Branta canadensis
• Online Access: https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/5770295; http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-5770295

Mycoplasma gallisepticum is the causative agent of chronic respiratory disease (CRD) in chickens. CRD is characterized by coughing, nasal discharge, sinusitis and severe lesions on the air sacs. Economic losses, due to a decrease in weight gain and egg production, are significant. Moreover, breeder flocks that are infected with M. gallisepticum have to be culled. Mycoplasma species are host restricted but infections with M. gallisepticum, which occur mostly in chickens, also have been detected in other bird species (reservoirs) such as pheasants, partridges, peacocks, ducks, wild turkeys, and house finches. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there were other reservoirs for M. gallisepticum in wildlife. Therefor we analyzed serum samples of wild crows and geese for the presence of antibodies against M. gallisepticum. In 2012, blood samples of wild geese were collected in Belgium. Samples from Canadian geese (Branta canadensis) and Greylag geese (Anser anser) were tested. Samples from carrion crows (Corvus corone) were also collected in 2012. We obtained a total of 192 blood samples of acceptable quality to analyze the presence of antibodies against M. gallisepticum. Ninety-six samples were from crows and 96 were from geese. Antibodies were detected using a Blocking Enzyme Immunosorbent Assay (Svanovir® MG-Ab). Results were read using a photometer at 450 nm. All samples of both wild crows and geese were negative. In this study, it seems like wild crows and geese do not play an important role in the spread of M. gallisepticum in Belgium. However, further investigation in other wild birds is ongoing. Acks: T. Michiels is supported by the Federal Public Service of Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment (RCO-6752 MYCOPLASMA). The study was funded by the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain. The authors thank Didier Vangeluwe (Belgian Ringing Centre, Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences, Belgium) for providing the samples.