抄録
Histopathological investigation was carried out on tlte ovary of chickens, sincehistopathological knowledge had been very scanty. The materials used for the presentstudy consisted of 348 birds which had been picked up from among those subjected topathological studies on avian leukosis reported previously by the present authors?"They included young birds and those 1, 850 days old.Histopathologically, peculiar abnormal follicles were observed in 90 of the birdsexamined, in addition to leukemic proliferative changes. In these follicles, partialnecrobiosis and desquamation of the epithelial cells, which were regarded as the initiallesions, were noticed in the first place. In the next place, the following changes wererecognized: activation of histiocytic cells in the theca interna, appearance of degeneratedcells and lattice cells in the follicles, and production of fibrous tissue (fibrosis) in thetheca externa. Regenerative alterations of follicular epithelial cells were seen at thestage showing these changes.In addition to the changes mezutioned above, the formation of gaps in the follicularwall was noticed as the most interesting finding. Follicular fluid containing degeneratedcells extravasated through the gaps into tlae connective-tissue stroma around the follicle(>r the body cavity. All the ovaries with such abnormal follicles were associated withatretic follicles.The present authors thought that the name "necrotizing follicular oophoritis" (NFO)was suitable for such lesions.All the 90 caes showing NFO were affected with multiple localized serositis whichis recognized in pullorum disease6). Thereupon, it was thought that NFO might beclosely related to tltis disease. Moreover, discussion was made on histopathogenesis ofthe serositis which might have been caused by the formation of gaps in ovarian follicularwalls.
