Day-old chicks were highly susceptible to
Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from chickens affected with cerebral necrosis when inoculated intracerebrally. In them, fatality was 100% with 10
2 viable organisms. They decreased gradually in susceptibility when administered subcutaneously, intraperitoneally or orally. Fatality after oral administration was 20% with 10
8 viable organisms. Deaths usually occurred 5 days postinoculation. Age-dependent susceptibility was also observed.
When administered subcutaneously with 10
8 viable organisms, chicks 1, 7, 14, and 24 days old presented a fatality of 100, 100, 50, and 10%, respectively. The 50% Lethal dosis of the isolate was 10
4.6 and 10
7.5 in day-old chicks and 4-week-old mice, respectively, by the subcutaneous route. Cerebral necrosis similar to that of the field case was reproduced in 4 chicks inoculated subcutaneously with more than 10
6 viable organisms.
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