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Review
. 2023 Feb 17;11(2):469.
doi: 10.3390/vaccines11020469.

Infection, Transmission, Pathogenesis and Vaccine Development against Mycoplasma gallisepticum

Susithra Priyadarshni Mugunthan  1 , Ganapathy Kannan  2 , Harish Mani Chandra  1 , Biswaranjan Paital  3
Affiliations
Review

Infection, Transmission, Pathogenesis and Vaccine Development against Mycoplasma gallisepticum

Susithra Priyadarshni Mugunthan et al. Vaccines (Basel). .

Abstract

Mycoplasma sp. comprises cell wall-less bacteria with reduced genome size and can infect mammals, reptiles, birds, and plants. Avian mycoplasmosis, particularly in chickens, is primarily caused by Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) and Mycoplasma synoviae. It causes infection and pathology mainly in the respiratory, reproductive, and musculoskeletal systems. MG is the most widely distributed pathogenic avian mycoplasma with a wide range of host susceptibility and virulence. MG is transmitted both by horizontal and vertical routes. MG infection induces innate, cellular, mucosal, and adaptive immune responses in the host. Macrophages aid in phagocytosis and clearance, and B and T cells play critical roles in the clearance and prevention of MG. The virulent factors of MG are adhesion proteins, lipoproteins, heat shock proteins, and antigenic variation proteins, all of which play pivotal roles in host cell entry and pathogenesis. Prevention of MG relies on farm and flock biosecurity, management strategies, early diagnosis, use of antimicrobials, and vaccination. This review summarizes the vital pathogenic mechanisms underlying MG infection and recapitulates the virulence factors of MG-host cell adhesion, antigenic variation, nutrient transport, and immune evasion. The review also highlights the limitations of current vaccines and the development of innovative future vaccines against MG.

Keywords: Mycoplasma gallisepticum; cytoadhesion; immune evasion; vaccine development; virulence factors.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there are no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Structure of M. gallisepticum. (A) Negatively stained image of M. gallisepticum (Source: M.H.B. Catroxo and A.M.C.R.P.F. Martins under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported, https://app.dimensions.ai/details/publication/pub.1004322571, accessed on 12 February 2023 and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoplasma_gallisepticum#/media/File:Mycoplasma_gallisepticum.jpg, accessed on 12 February 2023). (B) Representational image of M. gallisepticum.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Modes of transmission of Mycoplasma gallisepticum.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Pathogenesis of M. gallisepticum. M. gallisepticum enters airways; invades healthy cells; damages healthy cells; systemic invasion, immuno-suppression, health, and production loss.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Steps involved in the production of plant-based vaccine.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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