Mycoplasmosis of house finches and western scrub-jays in a wildlife rehabilitation facility with probable nosocomial transmission

Adult house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus) with conjunctivitis, presumably caused by Mycoplasma gallicepticum, were admitted to a rehabilitation facility in central California between February and April 2015. In late May the... [ view full abstract ]

Adult house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus) with conjunctivitis, presumably caused by Mycoplasma gallicepticum, were admitted to a rehabilitation facility in central California between February and April 2015. In late May the facility began receiving young (nestlings to near fledged) house finches, a few with conjunctivitis at admission but most developing conjunctivitis 5 to 10 days later. In June, with young house finches still present, the facility began receiving young western scrub-jays (Aphelocoma californica) with normal eyes at intake but developing conjunctivitis approximately 30 days later. Samples from 13 of 15 house finches and 3 of 12 western scrub-jays were positive for M. gallisepticum by qPCR, 1 house finch and 2 western scrub-jays were positive for M. synoviae. Gene sequencing (16S rRNA and 16S-23S intergenic spacer region) generally confirmed these results, but also identified M. sturni from 3 of 9 western scrub-jays. Mycoplasma gallisepticum conjunctivitis in free-ranging house finches was first recognized as an emerging disease in 1994 and is now endemic throughout the bird’s North American range. Mycoplasma synoviae is most commonly associated with infections in domestic galliformes, with only a few reports in wild birds. Mycoplasma sturni, first isolated in 1994 from a European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) in Connecticut, has since been isolated from a wide range of wild bird species. This outbreak of mycoplasmosis in a rehabilitation facility suggests that M. gallisepticum-infected young house finches admitted to and maintained in a multi-species environment likely resulted in transmission within the facility to healthy young house finches and western scrub-jays. Evidence of M. synoviae in house finches and western scrub-jays with conjunctivitis indicates that these species are susceptible to this infection, and suggests that these and perhaps other free-ranging species are underappreciated reservoirs. Mycoplasma sturni in western scrub-jays adds to its previously known broad range of host species.