Singaravel Vijaykumar Raja Kumar Avinash Warundeo Lakkawar Prabhakar Xavier Antony Madhavan Gopalakrishnan Nair Vol 8(3), 157-163 DOI- http://dx.doi.org/10.5455/ijlr.20170714072630
Mycoplasmosis is a chronic respiratory disease affecting turkeys often caused by Mycoplasma gallisepticum infection. This study describes an outbreak of mycoplasmosis in 3 month-old turkey poults of a commercial aviary at Puducherry, India. In a flock of 120 turkey poults, 25 birds showed inappetence, mild to moderate coughing, epiphora, catarrhal rhinitis, and unilateral/bilateral sinusitis with progressive weight loss. Necropsy findings of 3 dead birds were characterized by cheesy exudates in the infra-orbital sinuses, catarrhal tracheitis, pleuritis, air sacculitis with yellow gaseous exudation, pneumonia and perihepatitis. Histopathology revealed degeneration and disruption of tracheal epithelium, marked leukocytic infiltration with hyperplasia of sub-mucosal glands. Lungs showed moderate to severe congestion, bronchitis, interstitial thickening and peri-bronchiolar lymphoid aggregation. Inoculation of tracheal swab from morbid birds into PPLO media resulted in colour change from deep pink to chocolate brown or light brown on the 3rd day post-inoculation. The clinical, gross, histopathological features and biochemical tests were suggestive of mycoplasmosis. Early detection and diagnosis of mycoplasmosis can reduce mortality and economic losses to the turkey farmers.
Keywords : Airsacculitis Mycoplasmosis Swollen Infra Orbital Sinuses PPLO Medium