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Title: ATTACHMENT OF SALMONELLA AND CAMPYLOBACTER SPP. TO CHICKEN SPERMATOZOA VIEWED BY SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY

Author
item Cox Jr, Nelson
item Bailey, Joseph
item Buhr, Richard - Jeff
item Cosby, Douglas
item Richardson, Larry
item WILSON, J - UGA
item BOURASSA, D - UGA
item ARD, M - UGA

Submitted to: Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/4/2004
Publication Date: 7/27/2004
Citation: Cox, Jr., N.A., Bailey, J.S., Buhr, R.J., Cosby, D.E., Richardson, L.J., Wilson, J., Bourassa, D.V., Ard, M.B. 2004. Attachment of Salmonella and Campylobacter spp. to chicken spermatozoa viewed by scanning electron microscopy. [abstract] Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract. 83(suppl.1):70.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: We previously demonstrated that vertical transmission of Campylobacter could occur. The mechanism of this transmission is still unclear. Previously negative broiler breeder flocks have been reported to become positive with the introduction of 'spike' roosters at 45 wk of age. To determine if the rooster semen is a possible source of transmission to hens for colonization, we evaluated the association of both Campylobacter and Salmonella spp., to segments (head, mid-piece and tail) of individual spermatozoa after artificial inoculation. Three strains of Salmonella (Typhimurium, Heidelberg and Montevideo) or one strain of Campylobacter jejuni (in 0.85% saline) was added to a freshly collected (by abdominal massage) aliquot of pooled semen from roosters housed in individual cages. The semen-bacteria solutions were incubated 1 hour at room temperature. Samples were fixed using Karnosvsky and Zamboni fixatives for 24 hours prior to centrifuging and rinsing in 0.1 M Cacodylate-HCl buffer. Individual aliquot samples were placed on coverslips and allowed to settle overnight in a wet chamber. Samples were taken through an ethanol gradient and critical point dried in an Autosamdri-814 Critical Point Dryer. After drying, the coverslips were mounted and sputter coated with 300 angstroms of gold with the SPI-Module Sputter Coater. The samples were then viewed with a JSM-5800 Scanning Electron Microscope. Salmonella was found associated to all three segments (head, mid-piece and tail) of the spermatozoa apparently equally distributed. Campylobacter was mainly associated with the mid-piece and tail segments, with few located on the head segment. Further work is planned to determine if the adherence is actually attachment.