Early pulmonary lesions in turkeys produced by nonviable Aspergillus fumigatus and/or Pasteurella multocida lipopolysaccharide

This study assessed the potential of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) purified from Pasteurella multocida to cause pulmonary pathology or exacerbate lesions p roduced by gamma-irradiated nonviable Aspergillus fumigatus conidia when ad ministered via the intra-air sac route in turkeys. LPS provoked suppurative airsacculitis, pleuritis, and pneumonia. Nonviable conidia produced airsac culitis and transient pneumonitis bur did not elicit multinucleate giant ce lls, which are a feature of the inflammatory process in A. fumigatus infect ion. LPS in combination with A. fumigatus conidia resulted in accelerated p ulmonary inflammation and apparently delayed clearance of conidia from pulm onary tissues. This study presents a model of aseptic airsacculitis and pne umonia with clinical relevance.