The tissue localization of Mycoplasma meleagridis in turkey embryos

Mycoplasma meleagridis appears to localize primarily in the respiratory tissues of the developing turkey embryo. This was determined by the daily collection throughout the incubation period of smears of embryonic tissues from 261 fertile turkey eggs. The tissues were examined using fluorescent antibody procedures and the earliest detection from positive tissues were: day 6, blastoderm (10%); day 8, sinus (44%) and peritoneum (55%); day 19, lung (11%) and trachea (44%); day 23, air sacs (62%).