Seroprevalence of Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma synoviae in broiler chickens from Haryana, India

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) and Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) are economically important respiratory pathogens of birds causing significant losses to poultry industry. The present study was aimed at serodetection of MG and MS antibodies in broiler chicken serum samples using standard plate agglutination test (SPAT). A total of 306 blood samples were collected from birds in the age group of 4-6 weeks slaughtered at local meat shops of five districts of Haryana, India i.e., Bhiwani (n07); Fatehabad (n49), Hisar (n118), Jind (n103) and Karnal (n29). The SPAT was carried out using coloured antigens and standard sera of MG and MS (Soleil Biovac, Animal health, France). In SPAT, 21.57 (66306; 95 CI: 17.33-26.51), 13.40 (41306; 95 CI: 10.03-17.67) and 14.38 (44306; 95 CI: 10.89-18.75) serum samples were found positive for MG, MS and mixed (both MG and MS) infections, respectively. The serodominance of MG and MS antibodies were reported from Hisar (30.51) and Jind (19.42) districts, respectively. As similar to MS serodominance, mixed infection of MG and MS were reported maximum from Jind (18.44) district. The study reveals that MG and MS infection is prevalent in commercial broiler chicken flocks that poses risk to poultry farming in terms of production losses. It is also reported that enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based assays should be used along with SPAT for accurate serodetection of avian mycoplasmas infection in poultry flocks affected with respiratory tract infections.