Growth of Tyzzer's organism in primary monolayer cultures of adult mouse hepatocytes.

The Tyzzer's disease organism was grown in primary monolayer cultures of adult mouse hepatocytes prepared by collagenase perfusion. The organisms produced a plaque-like cytopathic effect involving almost the whole culture around 72 h post-infection when the bacterial growth reached a maximum. The organisms showed specific immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy revealed that intracellular organisms had peritrichous flagella and underwent cell division. After intravenous inoculation of the infected cell culture into mice, necrotic hepatitis was produced and the organisms, recovered from the liver lesion, could be propagated in primary culture of mouse hepatocytes.