Detection of Mycoplasma meleagridis and M. iozvae from dead-in-shell turkey embryos by polymerase chain reaction and culture.

This work reports the development of a 16S rRNA-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for the detection of Mycoplasma meleagridis, and the application, together with a previously described multi-species PCR, for the diagnosis of M. meleagridis and M. iowae in dead-in-shell turkey embryos. Forty-six allantoic fluid samples from dead-in-shell turkey embryos from hatcheries in Israel and the United States were tested by PCR and cultured for the detection of M. meleagridis and M. iowae. Three methods of DNA extraction for PCR assay were compared in allantoic fluid samples from turkey embryos experimentally infected with M. iowae. The two PCR assays provided more rapid detection than culture and were more effective in detecting the components of a mixed infection. Furthermore, PCR has the ability to recognize all M. iowae strains irrespective of antigenic variation.