title: Mycoplasma gallisepticum infection in the grey partridge Perdix perdix: outbreak description, histopathology, biochemistry and antioxidant parameters.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The grey partridge is an important game bird in Europe that has declined considerably over the last decades. The production and release of farm-bred birds can be threatened by infectious agents. The objective of this study was to describe the outbreak, pathology, and blood and tissue biochemical responses in a flock of grey partridges naturally infected with Mycoplasma gallisepticum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Morbidity and mortality rates were 100% and 60%, respectively. Necropsy revealed an accumulation of caseous exudate within the infraorbital sinuses, tracheitis, pneumonia and airsacculitis. There were significant increases in activities of lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase and amylase, and levels of total protein and glucose in Mycoplasma-infected birds when compared to control. Catalase showed significantly lower activity in the heart, lungs, liver and gonads of Mycoplasma-infected birds. Glutathione-S-transferase activity was elevated in the eye and the associated infraorbital sinus and kidneys, and decreased in the liver. Decreased levels of reduced glutathione were found in the heart, kidneys, liver and gonads. The activity of glutathione reductase was lower only in the lungs. Compared to healthy birds, mycoplasmosis in the grey partridge caused significant differences in the level of lipid peroxidation in lungs and plasma (p < 0.05), while the ferric reducing antioxidant power was lower in the heart and kidneys (p < 0.01). Significant correlations among responses of the antioxidant parameters were found namely in the heart, lungs, spleen, liver and plasma. There were also numerous significant inter-tissue correlations of all the studied antioxidant parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study demonstrates the high susceptibility of grey partridges to natural infection by M. gallisepticum, the severity of the disease based on histopathology, and the modulation of blood chemical profiles and oxidative stress-associated parameters in the avian hosts, thus enhancing the understanding of the pathogenesis of mycoplasmosis in birds. Moreover, the reported reference values can be useful for the evaluation of the state of health in grey partridges.
authors: Department of Veterinary Ecology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors: Frantisek
authors: F
authors: Vitula
authors: Lucie
authors: L
authors: Peckova
authors: Hana
authors: H
authors: Bandouchova
authors: Miroslav
authors: M
authors: Pohanka
authors: Ladislav
authors: L
authors: Novotny
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Jira
authors: Jiri
authors: J
authors: Kral
authors: Karel
authors: K
authors: Ondracek
authors: Jitka
authors: J
authors: Osickova
authors: Dagmar
authors: D
authors: Zendulkova
authors: Katerina
authors: K
authors: Rosenbergova
authors: Frantisek
authors: F
authors: Treml
authors: Jiri
authors: J
authors: Pikula
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D018153:Czech Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D046094:Galliformes / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D045686:Mycoplasma gallisepticum; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants