Behaviour of Salmonella dublin in mice and rats upon intraperitoneal infection

The fate of Salmonella dublin in mice and rats after intraperitoneal infection was studied in relation to the bacterial net growth rate in the peritoneal cavity, liver and spleen, and to the corresponding inflammatory cellular response in the peritoneal cavity. Rats showed a better host defence, expressed by a greater cellular inflammatory response followed by suppressed bacterial growth. In contrast, the cellular response of mice to the higher bacterial growth was relatively low. These results may explain some mechanisms of natural resistance to salmonellosis in different hosts.