Understanding Salmonella enteritidis in laying chickens: the contributions of experimental infections

A significant proportion of human Salmonella enteritidis (SE) outbreaks in recent years has been traced to the consumption of contaminated eggs produced by infected laying flocks. Experimental SE infections in chickens have been used to acquire a considerable amount of basic information about the interaction between SE and the avian host. After oral or parenteral inoculation of chickens, SE can colonize the intestinal tract, invade and disseminate to reach numerous internal organ sites, and elicit the production of specific antibodies in serum and egg yolks. Experimental infection of laying hens can result in the deposition of SE in the contents of eggs before oviposition, although generally in rather small numbers and at a relatively low frequency. The consequences of experimental SE infection have been shown to vary significantly with the strain and dose of the inoculum. Some SE isolates have been shown to produce various clinical effects, including decreased egg production by hens. The information provided by experimental SE infections in chickens has played an important role in the formulation of appropriate strategies for reducing the incidence of SE in commercial laying flocks and thereby also reducing the incidence of transmission of SE to consumers via contaminated eggs.