Seroprevalence of Mycoplasma gallisepticum in Commercial Broiler Chickens in Duhok Governorate

IN the present study, indirect ELISA conducted to estimate the prevalence of MG antibodies in serum samples collected from 20 broiler flocks in Duhok governorate. Three hundred and sixty blood samples from these flocks, 126,144 and 90 serum samples were collected from broilers aged 4, 5 and 6 weeks, respectively. All samples were examined in Duhok College of veterinary medicine (Kurdistan/Iraq), from October 2021 to January 2022. The positive serum samples to MG were found in 84/126 (66.66%), 80/144 (55.55%), 32/90 (35.36%) of broilers examined at 4, 5 and 6 weeks, respectively. The overall serum positive reactors to MG were 52.48%. There was a decreasing tendency in seroprevalence with examination at 4, 5 and 6 weeks of age. Out of seven broiler flocks (A-G) examined at 4 weeks of age, three (A, B and C) show high mean ELISA MG antibodies’ titer (≥5000), and only significant (P<0.05) in flock (A) (14015.3±5891.8), in comparison with all remaining five flocks (B-G). Those flocks (H-O) examined at 5 weeks of age, two flocks (H, I) show significantly (P<0.05) high mean ELISA MG antibodies’ titer (≥5000) (9192.3±5944.9 and 7036±2279.3) respectively when compared with remaining six flocks (J-O). The 5 flocks (P-T) of broiler chickens examined at 6 weeks of age, only one flock (P) show significantly (P<0.05) high mean antibody ELISA MG titers (≥5000) (9357.6±6709.9). The remaining flocks (D-G), (J-O) and (Q-T) had MG antibody titers (≤5000).