Recovery of Salmonella Gallinarum in the Organs of Experimentally-Inoculated Japanese Quails (Coturnix coturnix)

Salmonellosis is an infection caused by specific or non specific serotypes of theSalmonella genus, responsible for losses in the poultry industry. Fowl typhoid, caused by S. Gallinarum (SG) is important because it causes elevated mortality in adult birds, leading to economic losses in the poultry industry. This study aimed at quantifying the number of viable SG cells in the liver, spleen, lung, cecum, and reproductive tract (ovary and testicles) of experimentally inoculated Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix), as well as SG shedding in their feces. One hundred and two Japanese quails, with four months of age at the beginning of the experiment, were used. The birds were inoculated with three bacterial cultures containing different concentrations (6x104CFU/0.1mL, 2x105 CFU/0.4mL, or 5x106CFU/0.2mL) of SG resistant to nalidixic acid. On days 1, 4, 7, and 14 after the inoculation (dpi) individual cloacal swabs were collected from six birds per group, which were subsequently sacrificed for organ sampling. The swab samples were streaked directly on plates containing brilliant green agar and nalidixic acid (VBNal). Samples that were negative after 24h, were streaked again. The collected organs were individually macerated and transferred to buffered peptone water at 0.1%. The solutions were immediately diluted serially for CFU counting in VBNal. SG was successfully recovered from one quail, which was inoculated with 2x105 CFU/0.4mL, and from five quails of the group inoculated with 5x106CFU/0.2mL inoculum. All of the analyzed cloacal swab samples were negative. Therefore, this study demonstrated it was difficult to isolate SG from the analyzed organs and that it was not possible to recover thepathogen in the cloacal swabs collected from inoculated quails. These results may be explained by the absence of flagella in SG, inducing weak intestinal immune response in the beginning of the infection and preventing its isolation in cloacal swab samples. The low positivity rate of the analyzed organs may be due to the immune status of the euthanized birds, since the SG dissemination in the animal organism occurs mostly close to death, which was observed in the birds found dead during the experiment.(AU)

Recovery of Salmonella Gallinarum in the Organs of Experimentally-Inoculated Japanese Quails (Coturnix coturnix)

Salmonellosis is an infection caused by specific or non specific serotypes of theSalmonella genus, responsible for losses in the poultry industry. Fowl typhoid, caused by S. Gallinarum (SG) is important because it causes elevated mortality in adult birds, leading to economic losses in the poultry industry. This study aimed at quantifying the number of viable SG cells in the liver, spleen, lung, cecum, and reproductive tract (ovary and testicles) of experimentally inoculated Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix), as well as SG shedding in their feces. One hundred and two Japanese quails, with four months of age at the beginning of the experiment, were used. The birds were inoculated with three bacterial cultures containing different concentrations (6x104CFU/0.1mL, 2x105 CFU/0.4mL, or 5x106CFU/0.2mL) of SG resistant to nalidixic acid. On days 1, 4, 7, and 14 after the inoculation (dpi) individual cloacal swabs were collected from six birds per group, which were subsequently sacrificed for organ sampling. The swab samples were streaked directly on plates containing brilliant green agar and nalidixic acid (VBNal). Samples that were negative after 24h, were streaked again. The collected organs were individually macerated and transferred to buffered peptone water at 0.1%. The solutions were immediately diluted serially for CFU counting in VBNal. SG was successfully recovered from one quail, which was inoculated with 2x105 CFU/0.4mL, and from five quails of the group inoculated with 5x106CFU/0.2mL inoculum. All of the analyzed cloacal swab samples were negative. Therefore, this study demonstrated it was difficult to isolate SG from the analyzed organs and that it was not possible to recover thepathogen in the cloacal swabs collected from inoculated quails. These results may be explained by the absence of flagella in SG, inducing weak intestinal immune response in the beginning of the infection and preventing its isolation in cloacal swab samples. The low positivity rate of the analyzed organs may be due to the immune status of the euthanized birds, since the SG dissemination in the animal organism occurs mostly close to death, which was observed in the birds found dead during the experiment.

Isolation of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica (O: 4, 5: i) and Salmonella enterica subsp. Typhimurium from free-living domestic pigeons (Columba livia) / Detecção de Salmonella enterica subsp enterica (O: 4, 5: i) e Salmonella enterica subsp. Typhimurium em pombo doméstico de vida livre (Columba livia)

The present study reports the isolation of Salmonella enterica in organs of free-living domestic pigeons. In the clinic examination, the presence of feces in the peri-cloacal and abdominal regions were observed, as well as symptoms such as cachexy, incoordination and opisthotonos. Before any therapeutic protocol was applied the bird died and a necropsy was then performed for the removal of spleen, liver, kidney and intestine for bacteriological examination and antibiotic sensitivity test. Salmonella enterica subsp.enterica (O:4,5:i-) and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium were isolated from the liver and intestine and the sensitivity test demonstrated that these strains are sensitive to several antibiotics.(AU)

O presente trabalho relata o isolamento de Salmonella enterica em órgãos de um pombo doméstico de vida livre. No exame clínico foi observada a presença de fezes pericloacal na região ventral, caquexia, incoordenação motora e opistótono. Antes de iniciar um protocolo terapêutico, a ave foi a óbito, e, em seguida, foi realizada uma necropsia para remoção do baço, fígado, rim e intestino para exame bacteriológico e teste de sensibilidade a antibióticos. Foi isolado Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica (O:4,5:i-) e Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica sorovar Typhimurium do fígado e intestino, e o teste de sensibilidade demonstrou que essas cepas são sensíveis a vários antimicrobianos.(AU)

Dissemination of Salmonella enteritidis by experimentally-infected pigeons

Two groups of domestic pigeons (Columba livia) were experimentally infected orally with doses of 9.5 x10(7) and 9.5 x10(9) CFU/mL (group A and B, respectively) of a Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) strain isolated from chickens. None of the used doses caused mortality of the inoculated birds; however, the pathogen was successfully recovered from the liver and spleen of group B birds on day 7 post-inoculation (dpi). Pathogen shedding, as evaluated through cloacal swabs, occurred in both groups until the 14th day of observation (p 0.05). Among all fecal samples collected from group B (n=4), three different birds shed the pathogen in their feces, out of which two were positive on 3 dpi and one on 7 dpi. The same number of fecal samples was evaluated in group A and only one bird shed the pathogen, on 7 and 14 dpi. The concentration of the microorganism in the feces was lower in group A than any sample from Group B. Salmonella Enteritidis isolated from chickens, when inoculated in pigeons, may be recovered from feces, cloacal swabs and organs, and these birds may contaminate poultry causing economic losses as well as posing a risk to the public health.(AU)

Dissemination of Salmonella enteritidis by experimentally-infected pigeons

Two groups of domestic pigeons (Columba livia) were experimentally infected orally with doses of 9.5 x10(7) and 9.5 x10(9) CFU/mL (group A and B, respectively) of a Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) strain isolated from chickens. None of the used doses caused mortality of the inoculated birds; however, the pathogen was successfully recovered from the liver and spleen of group B birds on day 7 post-inoculation (dpi). Pathogen shedding, as evaluated through cloacal swabs, occurred in both groups until the 14th day of observation (p 0.05). Among all fecal samples collected from group B (n=4), three different birds shed the pathogen in their feces, out of which two were positive on 3 dpi and one on 7 dpi. The same number of fecal samples was evaluated in group A and only one bird shed the pathogen, on 7 and 14 dpi. The concentration of the microorganism in the feces was lower in group A than any sample from Group B. Salmonella Enteritidis isolated from chickens, when inoculated in pigeons, may be recovered from feces, cloacal swabs and organs, and these birds may contaminate poultry causing economic losses as well as posing a risk to the public health.