Histopathological and morphometric changes induced by a dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) model in broilers.

Area of Science:

• Poultry Science
• Gastroenterology
• Animal Models

Background:

• Dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) is a common inducer of enteric inflammation in rodents.
• Limited data exists on DSS efficacy, dosage, and age-related responses in broilers for inflammation modeling.
• Understanding these parameters is crucial for developing poultry disease models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of oral dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) administration via drinking water (DW) on broilers.
• To determine appropriate DSS dosage, timing, and age-related responses for inducing enteric inflammation without necrosis.
• To evaluate DSS as a potential tool for enteric inflammation modeling in poultry.

Main Methods:

• Two experiments involving day-of-hatch broiler chicks administered varying concentrations of DSS in DW.
• Clinical parameters (body weight gain, diarrhea, anemia) and enteric histological changes (villus height, epithelial cell height, goblet cell density) were analyzed.
• 0.75% DSS in DW was the primary concentration evaluated histologically across different treatment durations and ages.

Main Results:

• 0.75% DSS in DW induced depression, anemia, watery bloody diarrhea, and significantly decreased body weight gain.
• Histological analysis revealed shortened ileal villi, reduced duodenal and ileal epithelial cell height, and increased duodenal goblet cell density.
• While effective in younger chicks, 6 days of DSS treatment in older birds showed less pronounced duodenal changes but still impacted ileal morphology and body weight.

Conclusions:

• Oral administration of 0.75% DSS in drinking water effectively induces generalized mild, non-necrotic enteritis in broilers.
• This method provides a viable approach for modeling enteric inflammation in poultry.
• DSS shows promise as a tool for studying gut health and inflammatory responses in broiler chickens.