title: Respiratory and pericardial lesions in turkeys infected with avian or mammalian strains of Chlamydia psittaci.
abstract: Three groups of turkeys were inoculated with strains of C. psittaci (B577, VS1, TT3) from different restriction endonuclease groups. Turkeys were necropsied at 15 times through post-inoculation day 70. Birds infected with the TT3 strain were lethargic and had decreased body weight. After forced exercise, dyspnea was seen in VS1-infected turkeys. Pericarditis was the most severe lesion in TT3-infected birds. Airsacculitis and bronchopneumonia were the most severe lesions in VS1-infected turkeys. Lateral nasal adenitis was in both VS1- and TT3-infected birds. Only mild peribronchial pneumonia was in B577-infected turkeys. Chlamydial antigen, identified by light microscopy using an immunoperoxidase technique, was seen from post-inoculation days 9 through 50 in the lateral nasal gland and at earlier times in other tissue from VS1- and TT3-infected turkeys. No chlamydial antigen was detected in tissue from B577-infected birds. These studies showed that chlamydial strains from different restriction endonuclease groups are associated with distinct disease syndromes in turkeys.
authors.affiliation: Pathology Research Laboratory, National Animal Disease Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Tappe
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: N F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Cheville
mesh_terms: D000400:Air Sacs / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D010496:Pericardium / Q000473:pathology*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D009956:Psittacosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000473:pathology*; D014132:Trachea / Q000473:pathology; D014422:Turkeys