Lymphocytic infiltration in the chicken trachea in response to Mycoplasma gallisepticum infection

Abstract

A prominent feature of disease induced by Mycoplasma gallisepticum is a lymphoproliferative response in the respiratory tract. Although this is also seen in other mycoplasma infections, including Mycoplasma pneumoniae, the phenotype of the lymphocytes infiltrating the respiratory tract has not been determined. In this study, the numbers and distribution of lymphocytes in the tracheas of chickens infected with a virulent strain of M. gallisepticum were examined. Three groups of chickens were experimentally infected with M. gallisepticum and three unchallenged groups were used as controls. One infected and one control group were culled at 1, 2 and 3 weeks post infection. Tracheas were removed ..