EFFECT OF LACTOSE AND LACTOBACILLUS-ACIDOPHILUS ON THE COLONIZATION OF SALMONELLA-ENTERITIDIS IN CHICKS CONCURRENTLY INFECTED WITH EIMERIA-TENELLA

The effect of dietary lactose and Lactobacillus acidophilus on the col onization of Salmonella enteritidis (phage type 4) in newly hatched le ghorn chicks concurrently infected with Eimeria tenella was studied. T here were six groups of birds in each of two replicate trials: uninfec ted controls, birds infected with S. enteritidis, birds infected with S. enteritidis and E. tenella, birds infected with S. enteritidis and E. tenella that were fed with dietary lactose (5%), birds infected wit h S. enteritidis and E. tenella that were provided with L. acidophilus , and birds infected with S. enteritidis and E. tenella that were fed both L. acidophilus and dietary lactose (5%). Chickens were necropsied at 2, 5, and 8 days after S. enteritidis inoculation for bacteriologi cal examination. The cecal population of S. enteritidis was significan tly increased by infection with E. tenella. Lactose alone and the comb ination of lactose and L. acidophilus significantly reduced the popula tion of S. enteritidis in the ceca of birds infected with E. tenella ( P < 0.05), but the combination was more effective than lactose alone ( P < 0.05). Adding anaerobic culture of L. acidophilus alone did not si gnificantly decrease the population of S. enteritidis in the ceca. No significant reduction of colonization of S. enteritidis in the liver a nd spleen of birds with coccidiosis was observed.