Propagation of Pathogenic Fungi in the Yolk Sac of Embryonated Eggs.

Abstract

Actinomyces bovis. Nocardia asteroides. N. intracellularis, Sporntrichum schenckii. Histoplasma capsulatum. Cryptococcus neoformans and Coccidioides immitis have been readily propagated in the yolk /sac of developing chick embryos. This part of the embryonated egg provides environmental and nutritional conditions which are well suited to the requirements of these organisms. Embryos of 8-9 day incubation are inoculated into the yolk sac. The organisms listed are easily maintained in serial passage. The method offers a new approach to the study of infections caused by these agents and a means for assaying therapeutic agents, and has been found useful for the direct isolation and identification of pathogenic fungi from material derived from human cases.