Pathological studies in chicken embryos inoculated with liver homogenate from natural cases of hydropericardium syndrome

Six-days old embryonated eggs were inoculated with 0.3 ml of 20 per cent infective liver homogenate derived from natural cases of Hydropericardium syndrome (HPS). Inoculation resulted in uniform death time with eleven, fourteen and twelve embryos dying on 4, 5 and 6 days post inoculation (DPI), respectively. The inoculated embryos showed stunted growth evident from decrease in length, width and weight. Grossly, the embryos showed haemorrhages on the body and liver. Microscopically, liver showed haemorrhages and coagulative necrosis. There were subcapsular haemorrhages and coagulative necrosis in renal parenchyma.