A Dual Color Plate Agglutination Test for Rapid & Specific Detection of Antibodies Against Mycoplasma gallisepticum & Mycoplasma synoviae

"Pathogenic avian mycoplasmas continue to be potential problems for the commercial poultry industry worldwide. The economic impact of avian mycoplasma diseases stems from increased condemnation and downgrading of carcasses at processing, reduced efficiency of feed and egg production, and increased costs due to prevention and control programs that require surveillance, medication, and vaccination. Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) and Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) are the two most economically important avian mycoplasmas. Serological surveillance has been one of the most common and effective methods employed in the mycoplasma prevention and control programs. Due to the cost, sensitivity, and rapidity, the serum plate agglutination (SPA) test has become the most common screening method of choice for the detection of antibodies to MG and MS. However, the SPA test lacks specificity and always generates a low percentage of false positives. Furthermore, in recent years, the SPA assay has become more problematic due to the inconsistent availability and quality of plate antigen, in particular for MS. This proposal describes an improved screening method for the rapid detection of antibodies to pathogenic avian mycoplasmas using a dual color plate agglutination assay that employs colored microspheres coupled with Mycoplasma spp. specific antigenic peptides as an indicator system. The assay will provide more consistent, reliable, specific, and sensitive mycoplasma plate antigens in a simple and cost-effective dual color format. The Phase I effort will investigate the feasibility of the method in collaboration with the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center at The University of Georgia."