The Ability of Salmonella Enteritidis Isolated from Chicks Imported from England to Cause Transovarian Infection

Abstract

S. Enteritidis HY-1 isolated during quarantine from chicks imported from England was used. Laying hens at the age of 34 weeks were inoculated orally with 10¹⁰ organisms (10 birds), intramuscularly with 10⁹ (5 birds), and intravenously with 10⁹ (5 birds). Egg production did not change in hens infected orally, although it was reduced in hens infected intramuscularly for 2-3 weeks post inoculation. For one month, internally infected eggs of which the shells were not contaminated were found: one out of 65 eggs in hens infected orally and three out of 36 eggs in hens infected intramuscularly. This experiment demonstrated the ability of S. Enteritidis isolated from chicks imported from England to cause transovarian infection.