INTRODUCTION OF ANTIVIRAL DRUGS INTO EGGS BY THE AIR SAC ROUTE

Abstract

A comparison was made between 2 methods of giving drugs to developing chick embryos, i.e., into the allantoic cavity and into the air sac. Comparative protection tests in psittacosis-infected eggs, employing penicillin, Aureomycin, and sodium sulfadiazine, indicated the same degree of protection obtained regardless of the route of drug inoculation. Biological assays of allantoic fluid, at 48 hours and later after penicillin inoculation, revealed no difference in concentration of drug as a result of administration by the 2 different routes. Introduction of drug by the air sac route has several theoretical advantages over direct injection into the egg, especially when repeated injections are desired. The main advantage, demonstrated in eggs to which drug was given daily, is the reduction in numbers of nonspecific deaths due to trauma.