SALMONELLA-ENTERITIDIS COLONIZATION IN TURKEY POULTS

An experimental trial on the colonization of two Salmonella enteritidi s strains (phage types 4 and 8) originating from meat turkey flocks, w ere carried out, Three-day old poults were inoculated orally with appr oximately 10(6) cfu/bird (one group with PT8 and the other with PT4). clinical signs were not observed in any of the groups. The total reiso laiion rates from cloacal swabs in birds inoculated with PT4 was highe r than from birds inoculated with PT8. The inoculated strains could al so be detected in contact birds. Examination of internal organs 21 day s p. i. revealed higher isolation rates in the group infected with PT4 than with PT8. The results indicate that both phage types of. enterit idis were able to colonize the intestinal tract and the internal organ s of turkey poults. However, the colonization and duration of shedding differed between the two phage types. This maybe due to the fact that PT8 strain used was free from the S. e. virulence plasmid 37 MDa.