The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a nonspecific indicator of disease activity and is often used by clinicians in assisting diagnosis and follow-up of many inflammatory disorders. The Westergren method is considered the standard method for measuring ESR. Recently, many automated instruments have become available to address laboratory safety and time efficiency. We validated the Streck ESR-Auto Plus instrument (Streck, Omaha, NE) using the Sediplast (Polymedco, Cortlandt Manor, NY) Westergren method as the reference method. Blood samples collected in 113 EDTA tubes were transferred into Sediplast vials and Streck high-altitude vacuum tubes for measuring the ESR. There was good correlation between the Sediplast and Streck methods (0.95) using Pearson correlation. The y-intercept was at 6.5 using linear regression, indicating systematic bias with a mean difference of 7.13 using the t test (P < .0001). We modified our reference ranges to rectify the systematic bias found during validation.

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) is among the most significant problems in the poultry industry worldwide, representing a serious threat to international trade. Despite the fact that the mgc2 gene has been widely used for diagnostic and molecular characterization purposes, there is a lack of evidence supporting the reliability of this gene as a marker for molecular epidemiology approaches. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess the accuracy of the mgc2 gene for phylogenetic, phylodynamic, and phylogeographic evaluations. Furthermore, the global phylodynamic expansion of MG is described, and the origin and extension of the outbreak caused by MG in Ecuador were tracked and characterized. The results obtained strongly supported the use of the mgc2 gene as a reliable phylogenetic marker and accurate estimator for the temporal and phylogeographic structure reconstruction of MG. The phylodynamic analysis denoted the failures in the current policies to control MG and highlighted the imperative need to implement more sensitive methodologies of diagnosis and more efficient vaccines. Framed in Ecuador, the present study provides the first piece of evidence of the circulation of virulent field MG strains in Ecuadorian commercial poultry. The findings derived from the current study provide novel and significant insights into the origin, diversification, and evolutionary process of MG globally.