SEROLOGICAL RESPONSE IN RABBITS TO LISTERIA-MONOCYTOGENES AFTER ORAL OR INTRAGASTRIC INOCULATION

The serological response in rabbits against Listeria monocytogenes aft er oral or intragastric inoculation was investigated. Both the number of sero-positive animals and the average serum titres were higher in a nimals inoculated by the oral route. This difference was especially ma rked in rabbits inoculated with the lower dose (1 X 10(3) colony-formi ng units (cfu)), which developed a strong serological response (averag e serum titre of 1280 after 4 inoculations) in most of the inoculated animals (80%), without any clinical signs. The implication of these re sults in the epidemiology of listeriosis is discussed.