Natural case of salpingitis apparently caused by Mycoplasma gallisepticum in chickens

Abstract

A natural case of salpingitis, apparently caused by Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG), in layer chickens is described. In the flock from which the chickens originated, there was a 3 to 4% drop in egg production per month around 250 days old. The production was reduced 70% at 400 days of age, which was 77% of the predisease level. Salpingitis was characterized by marked thickening of the oviductal mucosa due to epithelial hyperplasia and marked lymphoplasmacytic infiltration. Colonization of MG on the epithelial surface was evidenced by electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry using rabbit hyperimmune serum against the S6 strain of MG. Antibodies to MG were detected in all the chickens examined.