NATURAL CASE OF SALPINGITIS APPARENTLY CAUSED BY MYCOPLASMA-GALLISEPTICUM IN CHICKENS

A natural case of salpingitis, apparently caused by Mycoplasma gallise pticum (MG), in layer chickens is described. In the flock from which t he chickens originated, there was a 3 to 4% drop in egg production per month around 250 days old. The production was reduced 70% at 400 days of age, which was 77% of the predisease level. Salpingitis was charac terized by marked thickening of the oviductal mucosa due to epithelial hyperplasia and marked lymphoplasmacytic infiltration. Colonization o f MG on the epithelial surface was evidenced by electron microscopy an d immunohistochemistry using rabbit hyperimmune serum against the S6 s train of MG. Antibodies to MG were detected in ail the chickens examin ed.