Mycoplasma gallisepticum modifies virus shedding and immune response of Newcastle disease virus in broilers Nisa Qamar-Un1, Younus Muhammad2, Khan Muti-Ur-Rehman1, Maqbool Azhar3, Umar Sajid* Department of Pathobiology, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan 1Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS), Lahore, Pakistan 2College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Narowal, UVAS Lahore, Pakistan 3Department of Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS), Lahore, Pakistan *Corresponding author's e-mail: sajncvi@gmail.com
Online published on 1 August, 2019. Abstract Respiratory diseases are responsible for major economic losses in poultry farms. Newcastle disease virus (NDV) infections cause huge economic losses in poultry industry especially in the presence of other co-infecting pathogens. The purpose of this study was to assess the less understood effect of Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) on the replication and immune responses of NDV in broiler chicken. Three-week-old commercial broiler chickens were inoculated with either NDV, MG or both etiological agents. The experimental groups were identified as follows: negative control (Group C), Mycoplasma challenged (Group M), NDV challenged (Group V) and virus and Mycoplasma challenged (Group V+M). Blood samples and swabs were collected on daily basis for two weeks. All infected birds showed positive results for NDV shedding, however, the pattern of virus shedding was different, with birds of the group V+M showing more pronounced virus shedding than the birds in the group V. In addition, birds of V+M group showed significant reduction in anti-AI antibody responses and interferon gene expression than the birds in the V group. The present study revealed that MG could facilitate replication of NDV by bringing alterations in immune responses. Top Keywords Broilers, Co-infection, Immunity, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, Newcastle disease virus, Replication. Top |