Natural infection of ducks with Mycoplasma synoviae and Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma egg transmission

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG), M. synoviae (MS), M. cloacale (MC) and M. anatis were isolated from ducks kept in a yard in close contact with chickens that were infected with MG, MS and some other avian Mycoplasma species. MG, MS and MC were isolated also from embryonated duck eggs and from infertile duck eggs laid during the first four weeks of egg production. Infected ducks did not show clinical signs of MG or MS infection in chicken. Detectable MG and MS agglutinating antibodies were not present in duck sera. However, they were found in two yolks of 10 tested from embryonated eggs. In the haemagglutination - inhibition (HI) tests yolks from embryonated eggs yielded significantly higher (P<0.01) titres of MS antibodies than duck sera. Geometric mean value of MS HI titres in tested duck sera was 20, while those of yolks from embryonated eggs was 333. It is probably the first report concerning isolation of MS from the naturally infected ducks and furthermore, concerning isolation of MG, MS and MC from naturally infected embryonated eggs.