INTRATRACHEAL INFECTION OF CHICKENS WITH SALMONELLA-ENTERITIDIS AND THE EFFECT OF FEED AND WATER-DEPRIVATION

The tissue distribution of Salmonella entetritidis in intratracheally inoculated chickens and the effect of deprivation of food and water on tissue distributions of the bacteria have been investigated. Seven-we ek-old specific-pathogen-free chickens were inoculated intratracheally with 10(2), 10(5), or 10(8) cells and orally with 10(5) cells. The in tratracheally inoculated organisms entered the blood stream immediatel y after inoculation and produced generalized infection. Infection by t he intratracheal route resulted in colonization of S. enteritidis in t he cecum that was similar to infection by the oral route. The tissue d istribution of S. enteriridis was markedly affected when chickens were deprived of food and water for a short time, demonstrating an increas ed susceptibility of chickens to S. enteritidis infection. This sugges ts that stresses such as food and water deprivation are one of of the causes of the rapid dissemination of S. enteritidis among chickens in poultry houses.