MYCOPLASMA ISOLATES FROM FERAL BARN SWALLOW; VIRULENCE AND CLINIC-PATHOLOGICAL FEATURES IN CHICKENS

Abstract

The transmission of a pathogen to a new host is a common cause of a newly emerging infectious illness. Studies of disease ecology and avian pathology must, therefore, pay close attention to the identification of host transfer opportunities and barriers. Using the mycoplasma isolate cultured from the feral barn swallow to infect 3-day-old broiler chickens to assess the pathogenicity and pathology of the isolates alone and concurrently with E. coli. They were grouped as A (inoculated with Mycoplasma only), B (inoculated with Mycoplasma & E. coli), C (E. coli only) and N (control). Parameters assessed included clinical signs, weekly weight gains, full blood count, and gross and histopathology of tissues from infected and control birds. There was moderate pyrexia in chicks infected. No clinical signs were observed in control chicks. There was slight anaemia in the Group B birds (inoculated with Mycoplasma and E. coli) when compared to the other groups. There was moderate leucopaenia in group A and B birds, while severe in group C. There was dullness, closing of the eyes and yellowish-brown mucoid droppings in groups A, B and C chicks from 4dpi. There were congestive and inflammatory lesions in the lungs, trachea, joints and liver.  It could therefore be concluded that the mycoplasma isolate from the feral bird was pathogenic in chicken and may contribute to the epidemiology of the disease in poultry.

Keywords: Clinicopathology, Chickens, Mycoplasma Infection, Wild birds.