Aim: Arthritis is one of the most economic problems facing poultry industry worldwide. The study was done to detect possible causes of arthritis in breeder chicken flock with emphasis on molecular identification of Mycoplasma synoviae (MS).

Materials and Methods: This study was carried on chicken from broiler breeder flock of 57 weeks' age in Dakahlia, Egypt, suffered from arthritis with frequently 5-7% decrease in egg production, reduced fertility, and hatchability. Forty blood samples were randomly collected from individual birds in sterile tubes and used for serum separation. Serum samples were tested using serum plate agglutination (SPA) test against colored antigens for Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG), MS, and Salmonella gallinarum-pullorum (SGP). On the other hand, 24 joint samples were collected. Of those 24 samples, 12 joint samples were subjected to bacteriological examination, while the other 12 were utilized for molecular diagnosis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for MS and avian reovirus (ARV).

Results: SPA test results revealed the presence of antibodies against MG, MS, and SGP in tested sera in rates of 14/40 (35%), 35/40 (87.5%), and 9/40 (22.5%), respectively. Furthermore, 19 bacterial isolates were recognized from joint samples and identified as five Staphylococcus spp., nine Escherichia coli, three SGP, one Citrobacter, and one Proteus. The identified Staphylococcal isolates were three coagulase-positive staphylococci (two Staphylococcus aureus and one Staphylococcus hyicus) and two coagulase-negative staphylococci (one Staphylococcus epidermidis and one Staphylococcus lentus), while E. coli isolate serotypes were 1 O11, 2 O55, 3 O78, 1 O124, 1 O125, and 1 untyped. PCR proved that 12/12 (100%) samples were positive for MS variable lipoprotein hemagglutinin A (vlhA) gene, while ARV was not diagnosed in any of the examined samples. Four amplified vlhA gene of MS isolates (named MS-2018D1, MS-2018D2, MS-2018D3, and MS-2018D4) was successfully sequenced.

Analysis of phylogenetic tree revealed the presence of 100% identity between each two sequenced isolates (isolates MS-2018D1 and MS-2018D4 and also isolates 2018D2 and MS-2018D3). However, the nucleotide similarity between four isolates was 88.6%. On the other hand, our field isolates MS-2018D1, MS-2018D4, MS-2018D2, and MS-2018D3 showed nucleotide identity with vaccine strain MS-H 98.4%, 98.4%, 88.1%, and 88.1%, respectively. Furthermore, the nucleotide similarities with field strains from Argentina ranged between 87.8% and 98.6%.

Conclusion: Four field isolates of MS were identified in examined broiler breeder flock. A phylogenetic study of these isolates revealed the variation between isolated MS strains and vaccine strain. Therefore, further studies are required for evaluating the vaccine efficacy against the present field isolates of MS. In addition, application of MS immunization of breeder flocks is necessary for proper control of the disease.

Keywords: arthritis, Mycoplasma synoviae variable lipoprotein hemagglutinin A gene, Mycoplasma synoviae, polymerase chain reaction.

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