Developmental Abnormalities in the Chick Embryo Following Infection with Newcastle Disease Virus

Abstract

(1) The lens and auditory sac showed defective development or were completely missing in 42% of 150 chick embryos infected with Newcastle disease virus at 45 hours of incubation. In 150 control embryos, inoculated with normal allantoic fluid, no similar defects were found. (2) In subsequent experiments the specific defects were obtained in 90% of the N.D.V. infected embryos. Virus samples of such known teratogenicity if stored in hermetically sealed ampules at—50° C retained their teratogenic properties for at least 4 weeks.