The Irish Poultry Society have released an article in their news section informing poultry keepers that there has been a severe outbreak of Mycoplasma. Here is the original article:
It has been brought to our attention that there appears to be a very severe outbreak of Mycoplasma around. This occurs when birds are kept in intensive situations or when a period of stress has rendered birds vulnerable e.g. sale.
Symptons are discharge from nostrils and a noticeable sweet smell. Birds need to be treated with either Tylan soluble or Baytril available from your vet, and ideally the house cleaned out and disinfected with Virkon. Antibiotics generally will not cure the problem.
Birds of course should not be sold or moved or shown if you have this problem.
Mycoplasma
Mycoplasma is a genus of bacteria, which dosen’t have a cell wall. Without a cell wall, it is unaffected by common antibiotics such as penicillin. It is associated with slow onset, chronic respiratory disease in chickens, turkeys, game birds, pigeons and other wild birds. Ducks and geese can become infected when held with infected chickens. The condition occurs worldwide, though in some countries this infection is now rare in commercial poultry. In others it is actually increasing because of more birds in extensive production systems that expose them more to wild birds.
The route of infection is via the conjunctiva or upper respiratory tract with an incubation period of 6-10 days. Transmission may be transovarian, or by direct contact with birds, exudates, aerosols, airborne dust and feathers, and to a lesser extent fomites. Spread is slow between houses and pens suggesting that aerosols are not normally a major route of transmission. Fomites appear to a significant factor in transmission between farms. The symptoms can be cured, though the disease itself is incurable. Recovered birds remain infected for life; subsequent stress may cause recurrence of disease.
