Kleven S H
Department of Avian Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens 30602-4875, USA.
Poult Sci. 1998 Aug;77(8):1146-9. doi: 10.1093/ps/77.8.1146.
The avian mycoplasmas pathogenic for commercial poultry, Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma synoviae in chickens and turkeys, and Mycoplasma meleagridis and Mycoplasma iowae in turkeys are egg-transmitted infections and exhibit wide variations in clinical manifestations. Mycoplasma gallisepticum strains vary widely in virulence, tissue tropism, and antigenic makeup and have the ability to alter the expression of major surface antigenic proteins. Although less well studied, strains of M. synoviae, M. meleagridis, and M. iowae appear to exhibit similar variability. Intraspecies variability among mycoplasma strains and their ability to interact with other disease-producing factors explain the wide variability of clinical manifestations, difficulties in diagnosis, their ability to persist within the host for long periods of time, and many of the difficulties involved in control and eradication programs. Mycoplasmas are also well known for their interactions with other infectious agents and environmental factors in producing clinical disease. Control of the clinical manifestations of Mycoplasma infections is simplified when concurrent infections are minimized and optimum environmental conditions are provided.
对商业家禽致病的禽支原体，如鸡和火鸡中的鸡毒支原体和滑液支原体，以及火鸡中的火鸡支原体和依阿华支原体，是经蛋传播的感染，并且在临床表现上有很大差异。鸡毒支原体菌株在毒力、组织嗜性和抗原组成方面差异很大，并且有能力改变主要表面抗原蛋白的表达。虽然研究较少，但滑液支原体、火鸡支原体和依阿华支原体菌株似乎也表现出类似的变异性。支原体菌株的种内变异性及其与其他致病因素相互作用的能力解释了临床表现的广泛变异性、诊断困难、它们在宿主体内长期持续存在的能力以及控制和根除计划中涉及的许多困难。支原体还因其在产生临床疾病时与其他传染因子和环境因素的相互作用而闻名。当同时感染减至最少并提供最佳环境条件时，支原体感染的临床表现控制会变得简单。
