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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Food Safety and Enteric Pathogens Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #141422
Title: THE ROLE OF DIETARY VITAMIN E IN EXPERIMENTAL LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES INFECTIONS IN TURKEYS

Author
item ZHU, M - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item Wesley, Irene
item NANNAPANENI, R - UNIV OF ARKANSAS
item COX, M - UNIV OF ARKANSAS
item MENDONCA, A - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item JOHNSON, M - UNIV OF ARKANSAS
item AHN, D - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: United States Japan Natural Resources Animal and Avian Health Panel
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/18/2002
Publication Date: 11/18/2002
Citation: ZHU, M., WESLEY, I.V., NANNAPANENI, R., COX, M., MENDONCA, A., JOHNSON, M.G., AHN, D.U. THE ROLE OF DIETARY VITAMIN E IN EXPERIMENTAL LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES INFECTIONS IN TURKEYS. UNITED STATES JAPAN NATURAL RESOURCES ANIMAL AND AVIAN HEALTH PANEL. 2002. ABSTRACT P. 37.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary vitamin E in turkeys experimentally infected with Listeria monocytogenes. One-day old turkeys (n = 70) were fed diets containing either 0 or 200 IU vitamin E. After 6 weeks on the experimental diet, turkeys were orally inoculated with L. monocytogenes (~ 10**9 CFU). To monitor infection status, cloacal swabs were taken on selected days post inoculation (DPI). Samples of liver, spleen, caecum, proximal and distal small intestine, and large intestine were collected and cultured for L. monocytogenes. L. monocytogenes was not recovered in cloacal swabs of birds fed 200 IU vitamin E at 6-DPI, yet it was cultured in control birds at 8-DPI. Blood samples were collected for CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte analyses. Dietary 200 IU vitamin E was associated with elevated CD4+ lymphocytes on days 6-, 8-, and 31-DPI in Listeria-infected birds. Also, CD8+ lymphocytes were elevated at 6- and 8-DPI in infected birds given 200 IU vitamin E. Taken together, these data suggest that vitamin E may stimulate host defenses, which may augment clearance of L. monocytogenes.