Cultivation of Eimeria tenella in Japanese quail embryos (Coturnix coturnix japonica).

Complete development of Eimeria tenella in Japanese quail embryos was observed. Sporozoites were inoculated into the allantoic cavity of 7-day-old Japanese quail embryos (Coturnix coturnix japonica), after which the infected embryos were incubated at 41 C. In the chorioallantoic membrane mature first generation schizonts, mature second generation schizonts, and gametes were detected at 48 hr postinoculation of sporozoites (PI), 84 hr PI, and 126 hr PI, respectively. Mature gametes and zygotes were found at 132 hr PI, and oocysts were detected at 138 hr PI. Mortality of embryos increased with increment of inoculum size of sporozoites. LD50 was 1.7 x 10(2) sporozoites. Oocyst production was also dependent on inoculum size. Oocysts harvested from embryos sporulated. The oocysts were inoculated into 13-day-old chickens, and oocysts, capable of sporulating normally, were recovered from ceca 7 days after inoculation.