In ovo pathogenicity of Mycoplasma gallisepticum strains in the presence and absence of maternal antibody.

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) strains showing marked variation in pathogenicity were examined for virulence in ovo. No correlation was found between in ovo pathogenicity and other in vivo or in vitro methods for pathogenicity evaluation. For certain highly pathogenic strains, there was a clear relationship between the titer of MG inoculated and the embryo mortality and time of death; an LD50 for these strains could be calculated by yolk-sac inoculation. However, not every strain that caused lesions in the respiratory tract in vivo caused embryo mortality. Less pathogenic strains that grow well and colonize the respiratory tract usually caused embryo mortality during the later stages of incubation, and there was no strict correlation between titer of inoculum and embryo mortality. It appeared that embryo death in these cases may have resulted from generalized stress due to mass multiplication of the MG. Embryo mortality due to virulent MG was completely blocked in eggs containing maternal antibody to MG, although the mycoplasma could be reisolated from the yolk-sac membrane of the live embryonated egg after 17 days of incubation. Attempts to mimic the effect of maternal antibody by injecting exogenous MG antiserum were not successful.