Conjunctivitis of the domestic fowl and an associated Rickettsia-like organism in the conjunctival epithelium

Abstract

An apparently new form of conjunctivitis of the domestic fow1 has been described. No doubt the disease has been seen before and called “ocular roup”. The condition is confined to the structures of the eye. Transmission experiments have led to the successful reproduction of a disease, similar in all aspects to that found in nature. The conjunctivitis is associated invariably with the presence of Rickettsia-like organisms in the conjunctival epithelial cells. Almost identical inclusions have been found in cases of ophthalmia of the sheep, ox, goat, and pig. These fowl parasites have been described an the name, Rickettsia conjunctivae galli, proposed for them. Reasons have been advanced for suggesting that R. conjunctivae galli is the true cause of the conjunctivitis.