Resistance of broiler outbred lines to infection with Salmonella enteritidis

Abstract

Salmonella infections originating from poultry are one of the major causes of food-borne disease. For the control of salmonella in poultry a multifactorial approach is more likely to be effective, and the genetic resistance of poultry breeds to salmonella infections may be a valuable contribution. Experimental Salmonella enteritidis infections were examined in three different broiler outbred lines: the FC line, which had been selected for feed conversion efficiency; the R line, which had been selected for growth rate; and the C line, a commercially available line. The FC line had the highest mortality rate after intramuscular inoculation with 5 3 10 6 colony forming units (CFU) of S. enteritidis at 2 weeks of age (40% versus 21 and 20% in the other lines). However, at slaughter age, the number of birds carrying salmonella in caecal contents, and the concentration of salmonella in the caecal contents, was lowest in the FC line. The FC and R lines were compared by inoculation with doses ranging from 10 2 to 10 7 CFU S. enteritidis. At sublethal doses (10 5 CFU or less), the FC line carried significantly less salmonella in caecal contents and the rate of systemic infection was lower. The start of shedding was also delayed compared with the R line. At doses of 10 6 CFU S. enteritidis or higher, there were no differences in salmonella carriage between the lines, and the FC line showed higher mortality. In conclusion, resistance to mortality and resistance to the carriage of S. enteritidis do not necessarily coincide within lines, as the FC line showed high mortality but low carriage, both in survivors of high infection doses and in all birds at lower infection doses.

Epidemiological, molecular characterization and antibiotic resistance of Salmonella enterica serovars isolated from chicken farms in Egypt

“…There was a higher rate of Salmonella isolation from the sampled internal organs, in the gall bladder and liver samples compared to the intestine samples indicating the ability of Salmonella to cause systemic infection which in agreement with previous study [ 55 ].…”

Genetic control of resistance to salmonellosis and to Salmonella carrier-state in fowl: a review

“…Similarly, many studies report gene expression differences between different chicken lines after artificial infection, identified by genome-wide, microarray analyses [33-35] or more targeted studies focusing on one or several genes [36-41]. Other studies used lines selected for other traits (such as growth rate or feed conversion efficiency [33,48]), which makes it possible to investigate the interaction between the main trait under study and Salmonella resistance.…”

Opinion of the Scientific Panel on biological hazards (BIOHAZ) related to the Microbiological risks on washing of Table Eggs

“…Following systemic Salmonella infection, sequential faecal shedding of these bacteria can occur with potential risk to the forming egg. Bolder et al (2002) infected broilers intramuscularly and found caecal colonization and faecal Salmonella shedding.…”