Experimental infection and transmissibility of Mycoplasma synoviae with delayed serologic response in chickens

Fifteen mycoplasma-free chickens were contact exposed to five chickens that had been experimentally infected with one of three different strains (two field strains and one laboratory strain) of Mycoplasma synoviae (MS). Culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were positive by 3 days postinoculation (PI) in the experimentally infected birds. Lateral transmission was found by 7-14 days postexposure. Positive serum plate agglutination (SPA) results were detected 3-4 wk after positive culture and/or PCR in individual birds. By 42 days PI, all the birds in the groups exposed to field strain K1858 or K3344 had become infected as determined by culture and PCR, whereas only half of the birds in the group exposed to laboratory strain WUV1853 had become infected. Because of the unanticipated lack of seroconversion to hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in infected chickens, the study was extended. Each group was split into two groups of 10 birds each, one of which was vaccinated with a live B1/LaSota Newcastle disease (ND) vaccine virus to determine if a viral respiratory challenge might incite a stronger antibody response to the mycoplasma infection. All the birds were tested for seroconversion 14 and 21 days later. Of the birds vaccinated for ND, a slightly greater number were MS positive by SPA than the nonvaccinated birds. This effect was not present 21 days after vaccination, and there was no significant difference in the MS HI results from these groups, suggesting that the viral respiratory infection had little direct impact on seroconversion. The virulent field strain (K3344) elicited a stronger MS antibody response than the other strains. All results from the MS ELISA were negative in all groups through 9 wk. Positive results from PCR analysis correlated well with culture results, whereas serologic tests did not detect MS infection for several weeks. Monitoring programs solely dependent on seroconversion may be inadequate for diagnosis and control of mycoplasma infections.