Mycoplasma infections of ducks and geese

SUMMARY Background: Mycoplasma anatis, M. anseris, M. cloacale and M. sp. 1220 colonise geese and ducks, and could be associated with diseases of respiratory and nervous systems in waterfowl. The major symptoms are mild to severe inflammation of the cloaca and genital tracts, decreased egg production and embryo lethality.Objectives: The aim of this review is to summarise the recent knowledge about M. anatis, M. anseris, M. cloacale and M. sp. 1220 from aspects of veterinary interest. Materials and Methods: Review of the published literature. References for this review were identified by searches of PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar using the terms “Mycoplasma”, “Mycoplasma anatis”, “Mycoplasma anseris”, “Mycoplasma cloacale”, “Mycoplasma sp. 1220”, “duck”, “goose”.Results and Discussion: The concerned Mycoplasma species co-occur in waterfowl frequently and they have a significant role in the economic losses of the goose and duck industry. However, the literature concerning epidemio-logy or pathogenesis is lacking. The examined species could be isolated from animals without any clinical signs, but the high isolation rate and experimental studies clearly confirm the pathogenicity of the bacteria. M. anatis and M. sp. 1220, along with M. anseris and M. cloacale are in close genetic relationship and their biochemical properties are undistinguishable. Therefore, cultivation is unsuitable for the exact diagnosis. Fast and cost-efficient molecular methods are available for the species level identification. Since there is no commercially available vaccine against these Mycoplasma species, adequate housing and appropriate antibiotic treatment can be applied for the control of the infections. The different antibiotic resistance profiles of the M. anseris and M. sp. 1220 iso-lates highlight the importance of the determination of the antibiotics’ minimal inhibitory concentrations in each case, in order to prevent the development of multidrug resistance.