Mycoplasma gallisepticum

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) is a bacterium belonging to the class Mollicutes and the family Mycoplasmataceae. It is the causative agent of chronic respiratory disease (CRD) in chickens and infectious sinusitis in turkeys, chickens, game birds, pigeons, and passerine birds of all ages. Mycoplasmosis is the infection of Mycoplasma bacteria. Mycoplasmas have many defining characteristics. Mycoplasma lack cell walls, have highly variable surface proteins and a distinctive plasma membrane, and are the smallest self-replicating prokaryotes. Mycoplasma can cause disease in humans, animals, insects, and plants. Mycoplasmas attach to host epithelial cells, such as in the respiratory tract, which causes cell damage and inflammatory response. There are currently over 100 species of Mycoplasma known. The following have been isolated from wild birds: Mycoplasma buteonis, Mycoplasma corogypsi, Mycoplasma falconis, Mycoplasma gypis, Mycoplasma sturn, and Mycoplasma gallisepticum. M. gallisepticum has the most significant effect on wild birds.