Embryonated egg culture

(virology) Embryonated hen's eggs inoculated with animal viruses for the purpose of identification, isolation, titration, or for quantity cultivation in the production of viral vaccines.

Embryonated eggs are among the most useful and available forms of living animal tissue for the isolation and identification of animal viruses, for titrating viruses, and for quantity cultivation in the production of viral vaccines. The embryo proper, chorioallantoic membrane, yolk sac, allantoic sac, or amniotic sac may be inoculated in hen eggs of various ages, so that a wide choice of types of tissue is available to fit the characteristics of the virus under study or for special studies. The chorioallantoic membrane is frequently used; in some infections, such as smallpox, vaccinia, and herpes simplex, characteristic lesions are produced which in some cases may resemble those in the natural host. See also Animal virus.