닭의 Mycoplasma gallisepticum에 대한 전국적인 항체 양성율 변화

Nationwide seroprevalence of Mycoplasma gallisepticum

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) disease can cause significant economic loss in chicken with chronic respiratory disease. Currently, the nationwide serological monitoring plan of MG has been implemented. The present study was conducted to analyze the trends in regional and yearly seroprevalence of MG in poultry. The data used in this study were obtained from the 15 local Veterinary Services in Korea. The number of serum samples tested for MG by agglutination test were declined gradually from 60,000 in 2002 to 48,000 in 2006. The percentage of annual seropositivity of MG from 2002 to 2006 was 31.4%, 28.7%, 29.6%, 29.2% and 28.4%, respectively. The seropositivity (77.2%) of MG in Busan metropolitan city was the highest in Korea in 2002. However, it was dramatically decreased as 8.1% in 2003 and 0% in 2004, respectively (p<0.05). We speculated that it was caused by the error of sampling size rather than the rapid decrease of the disease. As MG was wide spread in Korea and the agglutination test did not discriminate the antibodies originated from vaccination and infection, it was advisable that the MG vaccination should be done for the protection of the MG infection where low in MG seroprevalence.