Mycoplasma

Mycoplasma (birds)

Description

Avian mycoplasmosis is a cause of respiratory disease in chickens, turkeys, quail, game birds, pigeons and other avian species; many different Mycoplasma species are potentially involved, but particularly M.gallisepticum in chickens and M.meleagridis in turkeys. Mycoplasma synoviae can cause respiratory signs as well as tenosynovitis. Mycoplasma infection damages the lining of the upper respiratory tract and thereby predisposes birds to deeper respiratory disease involving the lungs and airsacs by secondary pathogens. Strains vary greatly in their pathogenicity.

Mycoplasmas can be spread vertically in the egg, as well as horizontally by respiratory fomites. The commercial boiler chicken industry is free from mycoplasmosis, as is much of the commercial turkey industry. Vaccination with live attenuated strains of mycoplasma, to replacement layer pullets going onto multi-age layer farms is commonly practiced: vaccinated birds become carriers of the vaccine strain. There are several non-pathogenic avian mycoplasmas such as M.gallinarum and M.gallinaceum which may be isolated from cases of upper respiratory tract disease but have no causal aetiological significance.

Diagnosis and tests available

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is based on clinical signs, management history and mycoplasma culture; further identification and species characterisation requires 16S-ribosomal PCR.

Tests available

Click on + in the tables below for sampling requirements and additional test information

Code	Name	Samples required	Species	Turnaround time	Price (excl. GST)	Notes	Test days
16SRNA_PCR	16sRNA gene sequencing PCR	Culture	All species	5D	$109.35	D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays.
HIST_HE1	Histopathology – Preparation & Examination	Fixed Tissues- General Fresh tissues immediately placed in formalin Tissue pieces should not be greater than 1cm cubed to ensure proper fixation Submit fixed in neutral buffered formalin at a 10:1 ratio of formalin: tissue Fixed Tissues- Nervous tissues Submission of whole brain is required to ensure preservation of TSE target sites submit fixed in neutral buffered formalin at a ratio of 10:1 formalin: tissue Brains submitted for Nervous tissues are processed once a week, separate to general tissues to ensure consistent and reliable results. Urgent cases can be processed out of cycle if clearly marked on the Submission Form however this may reduce the quality of the brain histology results, so should only be requested in extremely urgent cases. Fresh Tissues Fresh tissues can be submitted following necropsy The quality of the tissues will be reduced due to the effects of autolysis so ideally fixed tissue should be submitted in neutral buffered formalin at a ratio of 10:1 formalin: tissue	All species	Up to 10D	$84.95	D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays.	Monday - Friday
MYCO_DIR	Mycoplasma – Direct culture (Diagnostic samples only)	Fresh tissue Fresh tissues of affected heads to allow sampling of infra-orbital sinuses, conjunctiva and choana. Fresh trachea, lung, joint and tendon sheaths. Submit chilled. Do not freeze. Swab Nasal, choanal, joint swabs. Submit chilled in Amie’s bacterial transport media.	Bovine, Ovine, Caprine, Porcine, Avian	7D	$67.10	D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays.	Monday- Friday
MYCGS_QPCR	Mycoplasma gallisepticum/Mycoplasma synoviae duplex PCR*	Swab Dry or PBGS swab (tracheal, nasal & Air-sac swab) Fresh Tissue Fresh lung Submit chilled. Do not freeze.	Avian	5D	$137.80	* Denotes analyses not covered by the NATA scope of accreditation. D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays.	Monday –Friday
MYCO_MEL	Mycoplasma meleagridis PCR (Real-time PCR)*	Swab Dry or PBGS swab (Tracheal swab, nasal & air-sac swab) Fresh Tissue Fresh tissues of affected heads to allow sampling of infra-orbital sinuses, conjunctiva and choana. Fresh trachea, lung, joint and tendon sheaths. Submit chilled. Do not freeze.	Avian	5D	$109.35	* Denotes analyses not covered by the NATA scope of accreditation. D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays.	Monday- Friday

Additional specimen requirements

Fixed tissue
Fixed tissues from affected birds (heads, trachea, lungs, air sacs, joints and tendons) Submit fixed in neutral buffered formalin at a ratio of 10:1 formalin: tissue.

Mycoplasma (pigs)

Also known as Porcine enzootic pneumonia

Description

Mycoplasmal pneumonia is a common chronic disease particularly in grower finisher pigs, and increases susceptibility of pigs to secondary infection, most commonly Pasteurella multocida, but also Arcanobacter pyogenes, Haemophilus sp, Streptococcus sp, Staphylococcus sp, Klebsiella sp, and Bordetella bronchiseptica. M. hyosynoviae also causes synovitis and arthritis.

M. hyorhinis is a common inhabitant of the URT and ears (Eustachian tube), and is a common co-inhabitant of pneumonic lungs. It has no pneumonic potential and can rapidly overgrow M. hyopneumoniae cultures. It can cause a serofibrinous polyserositis, or fibrinous arthritis in suckers or weaners less than 10 weeks old.

Diagnosis and tests available

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is based on clinical signs, management history and mycoplasma culture and PCR.

Tests available

Click on + in the tables below for sampling requirements and additional test information

Code	Name	Samples required	Species	Turnaround time	Price (excl. GST)	Notes	Test days
HIST_HE1	Histopathology – Preparation & Examination	Fixed Tissues- General Fresh tissues immediately placed in formalin Tissue pieces should not be greater than 1cm cubed to ensure proper fixation Submit fixed in neutral buffered formalin at a 10:1 ratio of formalin: tissue Fixed Tissues- Nervous tissues Submission of whole brain is required to ensure preservation of TSE target sites submit fixed in neutral buffered formalin at a ratio of 10:1 formalin: tissue Brains submitted for Nervous tissues are processed once a week, separate to general tissues to ensure consistent and reliable results. Urgent cases can be processed out of cycle if clearly marked on the Submission Form however this may reduce the quality of the brain histology results, so should only be requested in extremely urgent cases. Fresh Tissues Fresh tissues can be submitted following necropsy The quality of the tissues will be reduced due to the effects of autolysis so ideally fixed tissue should be submitted in neutral buffered formalin at a ratio of 10:1 formalin: tissue	All species	Up to 10D	$84.95	D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays.	Monday - Friday
MYCO_DIR	Mycoplasma – Direct culture (Diagnostic samples only)	Fresh tissue Fresh tissues of affected heads to allow sampling of infra-orbital sinuses, conjunctiva and choana. Fresh trachea, lung, joint and tendon sheaths. Submit chilled. Do not freeze. Swab Nasal, choanal, joint swabs. Submit chilled in Amie’s bacterial transport media.	Bovine, Ovine, Caprine, Porcine, Avian	7D	$67.10	D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays.	Monday- Friday
M_HYO_ABEL	Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae Antibody ELISA	Clotted blood (Red top) 10ml clotted blood collected in a red top tube Submit chilled Lith Hep (Green top) 10ml Lith-Hep blood collected in a green top tube Submit chilled	Porcine	Up to 7D	$23.75	Please contact the Customer Service 1-2 weeks before submitting samples.	Thursday and Friday
M_HYO_PCR	Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae PCR*	Fresh Tissue Fresh lung Submitted chilled. Do not freeze. Swab Dry or PBGS swab (Tracheal or nasal swab)	Porcine	5D	$109.35	* Denotes analyses not covered by the NATA scope of accreditation. D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays.	Monday to Friday

Additional specimen requirements

Fixed tissue
Fixed tissues from affected pigs (lung, joints and tendons). Submit fixed in neutral buffered formalin at a ratio of 10:1 formalin: tissue.

Mycoplasma (cattle, sheep, goats)

Description

Mycoplasma spp bovine Group 7 is a frequent cause of polyarthritis in calves. It can also cause outbreaks of bovine mastitis and abortion. This organism is readily cultured, and is occasionally cultivable on blood agar cultures without special mycoplasmal media. Other Mycoplasma spp are associated with bovine mastitis, eye lesions, reproductive lesions, and caprine and ovine arthritis, mastitis and pneumonia.

Diagnosis and tests available

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is based on clinical signs, management history and mycoplasma culture and PCR.

Tests available

Click on + in the tables below for sampling requirements and additional test information

Code	Name	Samples required	Species	Turnaround time	Price (excl. GST)	Notes	Test days
16SRNA_PCR	16sRNA gene sequencing PCR	Culture	All species	5D	$109.35	D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays.
HIST_HE1	Histopathology – Preparation & Examination	Fixed Tissues- General Fresh tissues immediately placed in formalin Tissue pieces should not be greater than 1cm cubed to ensure proper fixation Submit fixed in neutral buffered formalin at a 10:1 ratio of formalin: tissue Fixed Tissues- Nervous tissues Submission of whole brain is required to ensure preservation of TSE target sites submit fixed in neutral buffered formalin at a ratio of 10:1 formalin: tissue Brains submitted for Nervous tissues are processed once a week, separate to general tissues to ensure consistent and reliable results. Urgent cases can be processed out of cycle if clearly marked on the Submission Form however this may reduce the quality of the brain histology results, so should only be requested in extremely urgent cases. Fresh Tissues Fresh tissues can be submitted following necropsy The quality of the tissues will be reduced due to the effects of autolysis so ideally fixed tissue should be submitted in neutral buffered formalin at a ratio of 10:1 formalin: tissue	All species	Up to 10D	$84.95	D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays.	Monday - Friday
MBOVNZ_PCR	Mycoplasma bovis Rosetti Real Time PCR (for export to New Zealand)*	Semen 5 x semen straws- chilled or frozen	Bovine	5D	$218.70 (Duplicate testing)	Please Note: To meet MPI NZ standards, the lab tests in duplicate for each animal= 2 x $109.35 ex GST= $218.70 ex GST per animal * Denotes analyses not covered by the NATA scope of accreditation. D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays.
MYCOB_QPCR	Mycoplasma bovis PCR (non-NZ export submissions)*	Semen 5 x semen straws- chilled or frozen Fresh Tissues Fresh tissues- lung, milk Submit chilled. Do not freeze.	Bovine	5D	$109.35	* Denotes analyses not covered by the NATA scope of accreditation. D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays.	Monday- Friday
MCCP_QPCR	Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae qPCR*	Fresh Tissue: Fresh lung Mediastinal lymph nodes Submitted chilled. Do not freeze. Swabs Dry or PBGS swab (Nasal swab) Fluids: Pleural fluid Bronchoalveolar washings	Caprine & Ovine	5D	$109.35	* Denotes analyses not covered by the NATA scope of accreditation. D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays.	Monday- Friday
MYCO_DIR	Mycoplasma – Direct culture (Diagnostic samples only)	Fresh tissue Fresh tissues of affected heads to allow sampling of infra-orbital sinuses, conjunctiva and choana. Fresh trachea, lung, joint and tendon sheaths. Submit chilled. Do not freeze. Swab Nasal, choanal, joint swabs. Submit chilled in Amie’s bacterial transport media.	Bovine, Ovine, Caprine, Porcine, Avian	7D	$67.10	D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays.	Monday- Friday
MYCO_RTPCR	Mycoplasma sp. qPCR*	Swab- Dry or PBGS swab of affected area Fresh Tissues- Fresh tissue of affected area. Submitted chilled. Do not freeze. Fluids- Joint fluid, Milk	Bovine, Ovine, Caprine	5D	$109.35	* Denotes analyses not covered by the NATA scope of accreditation. D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays.
MYCO_O_PCR	Mycoplasma ovis PCR*	EDTA (Purple top) 10ml EDTA blood collected in a purple top tube Submitted chilled Fresh Tissue Fresh spleen. Submitted chilled. Do not freeze.	Ovine	5D	$109.35	* Denotes analyses not covered by the NATA scope of accreditation. D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays.	Monday- Friday
MOVIP_QPCR	Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae qPCR*	Swab Dry or PBGS swab (Tracheal or nasal swab) Fresh Tissue Fresh lung. Submitted chilled. Do not freeze.	Ovine & Caprine	5D	$109.35	* Denotes analyses not covered by the NATA scope of accreditation. D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays.

Additional specimen requirements

Fixed tissue
Fixed tissues from affected species (lung, joints and tendons). Submit fixed in neutral buffered formalin at a ratio of 10:1 formalin: tissue.

Additional Information

Customer Service

Contact Customer Service for enquiries relating to testing and results, quotations and pricing, couriers, sample submission and invoicing.

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CONTACT DETAILS
Phone	1800 675 623
Email	laboratory.services@dpird.nsw.gov.au
Operating Hours	8:30am-4:30pm Monday-Friday (excluding public holidays) 8:30am-12:00pm Saturday (for deliveries only)
Postal Address	Private Bag 4008, Narellan NSW 2567

Submission Forms

Veterinary Specimen Advice Form

Please Note: These documents are not fully web accessible, please contact Customer Service (laboratory.services@dpird.nsw.gov.au) for more information.

Courier services and specimen delivery

For NSW submissions, please contact the relevant Customer Service team for courier account details and to order consignment notes.

For submitters outside of NSW, Couriers can be contacted directly to make bookings and arrange collection of packages at the submitters own cost.

Commercial couriers may use either road or air transport and specimens should therefore be packed in accordance with International Air Transport Association (IATA) requirements. Most submission sent by veterinarians to the APHL for testing are defined as “Biological Substance Category B” and must be packed according to the IATA packing instructions 650 (Biological Substance Category B). As requirements for transport can change, customers should consult with their transport agent to obtain current requirements.

Samples may also be hand delivered to the site during normal business hours (8.30am - 4.30pm).

Sample Type	Laboratory	Street Address
Animal (including aquatic animals)	NSW Animal and Plant Health Laboratories (APHL)	EMAI, Woodbridge Road, Menangle NSW 2568