Control of established Salmonella typhimurium intestinal colonization with in vivo-passaged anaerobes

Broiler chickens were inoculated orally with 10(6) Salmonella typhimurium on the day of hatch. Twenty-four to 72 hr after challenge, the chicks were inoculated orally with cecal microflora that had been repeatedly passed through lactose-fed broiler chicks. In vivo passage proved to be a convenient and practical method for preserving protective anaerobic flora. These organisms effectively reduced S. typhimurium concentrations in the cecal contents by 4-5 orders of magnitude, even when given 24 to 72 hr after Salmonella challenge inoculation.