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Title: MOVEMENT AND PERSISTENCE OF SALMONELLA IN BROILER CHICKENS FOLLOWING ORAL OR INTRACLOACAL INOCULATION

Author
item Bailey, Joseph
item Cox Jr, Nelson
item Cosby, Douglas
item Richardson, Larry

Submitted to: Journal of Food Protection
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/12/2005
Publication Date: 12/1/2005
Citation: Bailey, J.S., Cox Jr, N.A., Cosby, D.E., Richardson, L.J. 2005. Movement and persistence of salmonella in broiler chickens following oral or intracloacal inoculation. Journal of Food Protection. 68(12):2698-2701.

Interpretive Summary: It is well documented that Salmonella can contaminate chicken and make people sick. It is not clearly understood where Salmonella localize within the chicken and how they get to these different locations. This study demonstrated the different organs in the chicken where Salmonella can localize after entry into the alimentary tract. This information will assist researchers in devising more effective intervention strategies to prevent Salmonella in chickens.

Technical Abstract: The dissemination of Salmonella into various lymphoid-like organs in young broiler chicks after oral and intracloacal inoculation was studied. A three strain cocktail of Salmonella Typhiumrium, Salmonella Montevideo, and Salmonella Enteritidis was administered to day-old chicks either orally or intracloacally. After one hour, one day, or one week, the ceca, thymus, liver/gall bladder, spleen and bursa were sampled for the presence of Salmonella. There was a marked difference in the recovery of Salmonella one hour post inoculation. Only 6 of 50 samples from orally inoculated chicks were positive compared to 33 of 50 samples from cloacally inoculated samples. In comparison, 24 hr and one-week after inoculation, there was no difference in the number of positive samples between oral or cloacal inocuation . The rapidity of the translocation of the Salmonella from the cloacal inoculum compared to the oral inoculum is likely due to the transient time required for Salmonella to move through the alimentary tract. The method of inoculation did not affect the distribution of serogroups. Of the three serotypes in the composite inoculum, the S. Enteritidis (group D) was only recovered twice in replication one and none in replication 2. Both the S. Typhimurium (serogroup B) and the S. Montevideo (serogroup C1) were recovered extensively throughout the study.