Development and evaluation of the polymerase chain reaction method for diagnosis of Mycoplasma gallisepticum infection in chickens.

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method specific for Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) was evaluated. The PCR method was found to detect as few as two colour changing units (CCU) of MG and did not give false positive reactions with other avian mycoplasmas. In chickens inoculated with either MG or Mycoplasma synoviae (MS), the PCR method was found to closely correlate with MG culture reisolation methods in chicken intranasally inoculated with MG. All chickens inoculated with MS tested negative using the MG PCR method.