CHANGES IN MICROFLORA OF THE CLOACA AND OVIDUCT OF HENS AFTER INTRACLOACAL OR INTRAVAGINAL INOCULATION WITH SALMONELLA-ENTERITIDIS

Quantitative and qualitative microbiological examination was carried o ut on cloacal and oviductal contents pre- and postinfection with Salmo nella enteritidis (SE) intracloacally or intravaginally. Before inocul ation with SE, the means +/- standard deviation (SD) of total bacteria l counts, anaerobic bacterial counts, and aerobic bacterial counts in the cloaca were log(10) 7.7 +/- 0.7, 7.4 +/- 0.2, and 6.9 +/- 0.8 colo ny-forming units (CFU)/g, respectively. The predominant bacteria were Bacteroidaceae, Lactobacillus, and Escherichia coli. Before inoculatio n with SE, the means +/- SD of coral bacterial counts, anaerobic bacte rial counts, and aerobic bacterial counts in the vagina were log(10) 5 .7 +/- 1.4, 5.5 +/- 1.3, and 3.6 +/- 2.7 CFU/g, respectively. Bacteroi daceae and Lactobacillus were predominant. Following inoculation with SE, only the cloacal population of Lactobacillus in hens inoculated in tracloacally was significantly increased compared to that before the i noculation. Other indigenous microflora were stable even after the ino culation. In the uterus, very few bacteria, Lactobacillus and Staphylo coccus, were isolated. Five of 20 eggs (25%) from hens inoculated with SE intravaginally were positive for SE, whereas no SE was recovered f rom 22 eggs in hens inoculated with SE intracloacally. SE was recovere d from the uterus after intravaginal inoculation with SE and from the vagina after intracloacal inoculation with SE. Contamination may ascen d from the cloaca into the lower parts of the oviduct and subsequently contaminated eggs may occur.