× Veterinary advice should be sought from your local veterinarian before applying any treatment or vaccine. Not sure who to use? Look up veterinarians who specialize in poultry using our directory listing. Find me a Vet
Mycoplasmosis Other Names: Mycoplasmosis
Mycoplasmosis is caused by infection with
Mycoplasma spp. Although there are more than twenty species of
Mycoplasma which can infect birds, the two most significant pathogens to chickens include
M. gallisepticum (MG), and
M. synoviae (MS).
M. gallisepticum (MG): Causes Chronic Respiratory Disease in chickens. One of the most common causes of respiratory disease in backyard poultry.M. synoviae (MS): Infections may be subclinical or result in respiratory disease or Infectious Synovitis .
Warm, swollen hocks or footpads
History Clinical signs Physical exam Blood test
Name Summary Supportive care Isolate the bird from the flock and place in a safe, comfortable, warm location (your own chicken "intensive care unit") with easy access to water and food. Limit stress. Call your veterinarian. Lincomycin/spectinomycin Administered orally (50 mg/kg q24h), or in drinking water (528 mg/L for 3-7 days) B Speers Tiamulin Administered orally (25-50 mg/kg, once a day) or in drinking water (0.25 g/L) for 3-5 days B Speers, A Garmyn et al., K Marx Tilmicosin Administered orally (30 mg/kg q24h) or in drinking water (100-500 mg/L) for 5 days B Speers Tylosin (Tylan) Administered IM (15-30 mg/kg q6-12h),or in drinking water (250-1000 mg/L) B Speers
Cover feed and water to prevent contamination from wild birds Quarantine new birds for 30 days before adding them to the flock. Discourage wild birds by taking down bird feeders and bird baths.
Batista, I. A., et al. Circulation of Major Respiratory Pathogens in Backyard Poultry and their Association with Clinical Disease and Biosecurity Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science 22.1 (2020) Puvača N, Lika E, Tufarelli V, et al.. Influence of Different Tetracycline Antimicrobial Therapy of Mycoplasma (Mycoplasma synoviae) in Laying Hens Compared to Tea Tree Essential Oil on Table Egg Quality and Antibiotic Residues Foods (2020) Gole VC, Chousalkar KK, Roberts JR. Prevalence of antibodies to Mycoplasma synoviae in laying hens and possible effects on egg shell quality Prev Vet Med (2020) Martin Ficken. Mycoplasmosis in Backyard Chicken Flocks Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (2019) Garmyn, An, et al.. The Efficacy of Tylosin and Tilmicosin against experimental Mycoplasma gallisepticum Infection in Chickens Avian Diseases (2019) Van, E. R., Wrobel, E. R., & Wilcoxen, T. E. Variation in seroprevalence of antibodies against Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Avipoxvirus in nine species of birds with differential access to feeders Avian Biology Research, 11(1), 7-11. (2018) . Mycoplasma Gallisepticum, Colibacillosis, Respiratory Disease Complex in Broiler Chickens FieldCaseStudy.com (2017) Zhang N, Ye X, Wu Y, Huang Z, Gu X, Cai Q, Shen X, Jiang H, Ding H.. Determination of the Mutant Selection Window and Evaluation of the Killing of Mycoplasma gallisepticum by Danofloxacin, Doxycycline, Tilmicosin, Tylvalosin and Valnemulin. PLoS One. (2017) Messa Júnior A, Taunde P, Zandamela AF, Junior AP, Chilundo A, Costa R, Bila CG.. Serological Screening Suggests Extensive Presence of <i>Mycoplasma gallisepticum</i> and <i>Mycoplasma synoviae</i> in Backyard Chickens in Southern Mozambique. J Vet Med. (2017) Kuo HC, Lo DY, Chen CL, Tsai YL, Ping JF, Lee CH, Lee PA, Chang HG.. Rapid and sensitive detection of Mycoplasma synoviae by an insulated isothermal polymerase chain reaction-based assay on a field-deployable device. Poult Sci. (2017) Sid H, Benachour K, Rautenschlein S.. Co-infection with Multiple Respiratory Pathogens Contributes to Increased Mortality Rates in Algerian Poultry Flocks. Avian Dis. (2015) Moreira FA, Cardoso L, Coelho AC.. Epidemiological survey on Mycoplasma synoviae infection in Portuguese broiler breeder flocks. Vet Ital. (2015) Feberwee A, de Wit JJ, Landman WJ. . Induction of eggshell apex abnormalities by Mycoplasma synoviae: field and experimental studies. Avian Pathol (2009) Raviv Z, Ferguson-Noel N, Laibinis V, Wooten R, Kleven SH. Role of Mycoplasma synoviae in commercial layer Escherichia coli peritonitis syndrome Avian Dis (2007) Branton, S L et al. Various blood parameters in commercial hens acutely and chronically infected with Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma synoviae Avian diseases vol. 41,3 (1997)