SEROLOGIC, PATHOLOGIC, AND SYMPTOMATIC ASPECTS OF MYCOPLASMOSIS OF TURKEYS

Adult male turkeys were exposed to Mycoplasma gallisepticum isolate 1010 by either intratracheal inoculation, intrasinus inoculation, intranasal inoculation or by contact with inoculated turkeys. The symptomatic, serologic, and pathologic responses to the different types of exposure were compared. Tracheitis occurred only in birds exposed intratracheally or by contact, and sinusitis occurred only in birds exposed via the sinuses. Antibody titers, determined by hemagglutination-inhibition and tube agglutination tests, were initially higher in turkeys exposed by intratracheal and intrasinus inoculation than in those exposed by other means. There were no appreciable differences among the four groups in incidence or severity of air sac lesions. In addition, the effects of intrasinus exposure to isolate 1010 were compared with those produced by similar exposure to a different isolate, M. gallisepticum isolate 1150. Isolate 1010 caused a slightly higher incidence of sinusitis, but a much lower incidence of tracheitis than isolate 1150. Air sac lesions did not differ in incidence or severity. The differences observed indicate differences in tissue predilection of the isolates.