Infectious Sinusitis

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! 🦃🇨🇦 Today’s path rounds are on 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬!

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐭?
𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬 is an infection with the bacteria 𝐌𝐲𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐦𝐚 𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐦. As the name suggests, this bacteria primarily infects the sinuses of turkeys!

𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐭?
We see this primarily in turkeys, but many types of birds can be infected.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭?
Turkeys acquire Mycoplasma through inhalation or interacting with contaminated feed, water, or bedding. The bacteria initially colonizes the 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐮𝐦 (lining surface) of the respiratory tract. From there, the bacteria proliferates, causing an infection.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦?
Mycoplasma infection causes turkeys to have difficulty breathing. They may also cough or sneeze, and often have nasal discharge. The most common clinical sign in turkeys is swelling of the infraorbital sinus, or the sinus immediately below the eye. Thankfully, this infection typically does not kill the turkey.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝?
Diagnosis is usually based on the typical sinus swelling, but to confirm there are tests that detect the bacteria itself. The most common samples to detect the bacteria are swabs of the sinus, trachea, or 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐚𝐧𝐚, the oral opening into the respiratory tract.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝? 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝?
Mycoplasma is a very tough bacteria. Although it responds to antibiotics in terms of reducing clinical signs, the birds are still infected for the rest of their life, and can shed bacteria into the environment to infect other birds. Therefore, most birds with the disease are culled. Prevention typically involves purchasing new birds from Mycoplasma-free flocks, to reduce the risk of introducing the bacteria onto your farm in the first place.