title: Pathogenicity of Mycoplasma meleagridis for chicken cells.
abstract: Mycoplasma meleagridis (MM) is a known pathogen for turkeys only. In this study, MM was used to inoculate chicken embryos and tumor cells to assess its pathogenic potential for chickens. In chicken embryos, it caused abnormal-shaped toes and severely denuded tracheae. In chicken tumor cells, MM reduced the cellular capacity to release a chemoattractant that causes the migration of heterophils. MM also caused death and/or a reduced growth rate in chicken HD-11 cells, a macrophage-monocyte-derived cell line. Thus, the data show that MM is a potential pathogen for chicken embryos and chickens cells. Further exploration to determine the pathogenicity in chickens may be warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Lam
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002633:Chemotaxis; D002642:Chick Embryo / Q000382:microbiology; D002645:Chickens / Q000382:microbiology; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D004848:Epithelium / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D045794:Mycoplasma meleagridis / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014132:Trachea / Q000648:ultrastructure