Structural alterations in oedematous and apparently normal skeletal muscle of domestic turkey

The morphology and histochemistry of oedematous and apparently normal turkey muscle were compared. Alterations in structural morphology were observed in the majority of the oedematous muscles and in about half the control muscles. Both the pectoralis thoracicus and biceps femoris were affected, with the former to a slightly greater extent. Histological features included proliferated endomysial and perimysial connective tissue, fatty replacement of necrotic areas of muscular tissue, evidence of fibre hypercontraction, necrosis of isolated fibres, shrunk and pyknotic nuclei and infiltration of the walls of blood vessels by mononuclear cells. In affected muscle, the histochemical reactions were weak and/or uniform amongst fibre types. There was no apparent association between the observed structural alterations and the oedematous condition.