Effect of Prior Passage Through Laying Hens on Invasion of Reproductive Organs by Salmonella enteritidis

Assessment of foodborne transmission of Salmonella enteritidis in hens and eggs in Bangladesh

Objectives

Salmonella is considered one of the leading causes of foodborne illnesses worldwide. Information about the transmission of pathogens to poultry and poultry products is necessary to implement control measures for reducing both human exposure and economic loss. The aim of this study was to analyze and evaluate the transmission characteristics of Salmonella enteritidis to laying‐type hen flocks and their laid eggs.

Materials and methods

For this purpose, 15 pairs of laying hens were used in which each pair consisted of one inoculated and one contact exposed hen. The eggs and cloacal swabs from these hens were subsequently analyzed.

Results

Of the 15 in‐contact hens tested, 60% were found to be positive for S. enteritidis within 61 days postinoculation, of which 26.7% transmission occurred within the first 31 days postinoculation. Among the collected laid eggs tested, S. enteritidis was detected on 58% eggshells and 5.33% eggs internal contents. We also observed a 33.33% reduction in egg production from S. enteritidis‐infected hens. In a cross‐contamination study, we demonstrated that an experimentally inoculated container can act as a potential source of Salmonella spp. infection.

Conclusions

Our results will help establish effective monitoring programs to reduce the transmission of Salmonella spp. in poultry and poultry products.

Protective effect of Lactobacillus reuteri Lb11 from chicken intestinal tract against Salmonella Enteritidis SE05 in vitro

Salmonella infections in eggs with increasing morbidity and mortality exhibit worldwide prevalence. The present study intends to evaluate the efficacy of Lactobacillus reuteri Lb11 (L. reuteri Lb11, isolated from chicken intestinal tract) in inhibiting the growth of multi-drug resistant (MDR) Salmonella Enteritidis SE05 (obtained from egg content). The cell-free cell lysates (CFCL) of L. reuteri Lb11 obtained by the agar spot test performed well on inhibition of the MDR (Multi-Drug Resistant) Salmonella Enteritidis SE05, The heat-inactivated (HI) fraction of L. reuteri Lb11 showed no inhibition activity. By co-culturing with L. reuteri Lb11 in vitro, the growth of S. Enteritidis SE05 decreased along with time, while, the pH value decreased significantly. Furthermore, In order to evaluate the mechanism of action of CFCL of L.reuteri Lb11, the genes related to the transcription level of AcrAB-TolC efflux pump, outer membrane protein OMPs genes and drug resistance genes have been quantified by real-time PCR, when the S. Enteritidis was SE05 exposed to the CFCL of L. reuteri Lb11 (1 × 10¹² CFU/mL). Almost all of the AcrAB-TolC efflux pump genes, outer membrane protein genes and antibiotic resistance genes were down-regulated. Especially, the level of ramA, tetA and tetB genes were down-regulated -20.77, -15.85 and -12.42 folds, respectively. L. reuteri Lb11 can effectively prevent the formation of efflux pump to inhibit the production of multidrug-resistant Salmonella Enteritidis in eggs.

Evaluation of different live Salmonella enteritidis vaccine schedules administered during layer hen rearing to reduce excretion, organ colonization, and egg contamination

Salmonellosis caused by Salmonella Enteritidis is a widespread zoonosis and poultry products are an important source of infection. This study was carried out to evaluate the protection of different vaccination schedules in layers using a live commercial attenuated Salmonella Enteritidis vaccine based on strain Sm24/Rif12/Ssq (AviPro® Salmonella Vac E, ELANCO) during rearing and egg production. Three hundred and fifty Salmonella-free chickens were distributed into 7 vaccinated groups and 1 unvaccinated group. Different vaccination schedules were performed combining either 1, 2, or 3 oral gavage doses. Chickens from Group A, B, and C were vaccinated once, either at the first day, at 7 or 16 wk old, respectively. Chickens from Group D were vaccinated twice-at the first day and 7 wk old. Chickens from Group E were vaccinated twice-at the first day and 16 wk old. Chickens from Group F were vaccinated twice-at 7 and 16 wk old. Chickens from Group G were vaccinated 3 times, following the manufacturer's recommendation: at the first day, 7 and 16 wk old. Chickens from Group H remained unvaccinated. Five challenge trials numbered 1 to 5 were carried out at 8, 12, 16, 29, and 55 wk old, respectively. After challenge, chickens were sampled by cloacal swabbing and, after euthanasia, livers, ovaries, spleens, and cecal contents were cultured to isolate S. Enteritidis. Additionally, eggs were collected after challenge and cultured to isolate S. Enteritidis on egg shells (Trials 4 and 5). Protection against experimental infection with a virulent nalidixic acid resistant S. Enteritidis strain K285/94, was evaluated by measuring reduction of excretion, colonization, invasion into organs, eggshell contamination, and egg production. The live S. Enteritidis vaccine protected the hens by reducing S. Enteritidis excretion, isolation from organs, and egg contamination. Higher protection throughout laying period was afforded after administration of three vaccine doses during rearing period.

Frequency and Duration of Fecal Shedding of Salmonella Enteritidis by Experimentally Infected Laying Hens Housed in Enriched Colony Cages at Different Stocking Densities

Human infections with Salmonella Enteritidis are often attributed to the consumption of contaminated eggs, so the prevalence of this pathogen in egg-laying poultry is an important public health risk factor. Numerous and complex environmental influences on Salmonella persistence and transmission are exerted by management practices and housing facilities used in commercial egg production. In recent years, the animal welfare implications of poultry housing systems have guided the development of alternatives to traditional cage-based housing, but their food safety consequences are not yet fully understood. The present study assessed the effects of different bird stocking densities on the frequency and duration of fecal shedding of S. Enteritidis in groups of experimentally infected laying hens housed in colony cages enriched with perching and nesting areas. In two trials, groups of laying hens were distributed at two stocking densities (648 and 973 cm²/bird) into enriched colony cages and (along with a group housed in conventional cages at 648 cm²/bird) orally inoculated with doses of 1.0 × 10⁸ cfu of S. Enteritidis. At 10 weekly postinoculation intervals, samples of voided feces were collected from beneath each cage and cultured to detect S. Enteritidis. Fecal shedding of S. Enteritidis was detected for up to 10 weeks postinoculation by hens in all three housing treatment groups. The overall frequency of positive fecal cultures was significantly (P < 0.05) greater from conventional cages than from enriched colony cages (at the lower stocking density) for the total of all sampling dates (45.0 vs. 33.3%) and also for samples collected at 4–9 weeks postinfection. Likewise, the frequency of S. Enteritidis isolation from feces from conventional cages was significantly greater than from enriched colony cages (at the higher hen stocking density) for the sum of all samples (45.0 vs. 36.7%) and at 6 weeks postinoculation. Moreover, the frequency of S. Enteritidis fecal recovery from enriched colony cages at the higher hen stocking was significantly greater than from similar cages at the lower stocking density for all 10 sampling dates combined (39.4 vs. 33.3%). These results suggest that stocking density can affect S. Enteritidis intestinal colonization and fecal shedding in laying hens, but some other difference between conventional and enriched colony cage systems appears to exert an additional influence.

Persistence of fecal shedding of Salmonella Enteritidis by experimentally infected laying hens housed in conventional or enriched cages

Salmonella Enteritidis can be deposited inside eggs laid by infected hens, so the prevalence of this pathogen in commercial egg-producing flocks is an important risk factor for human illness. Opportunities for the introduction, transmission, and persistence of salmonellae in poultry are potentially influenced by flock housing and management systems. Animal welfare concerns have spurred the development of alternatives to traditional cage-based housing. However, the consequences of poultry housing systems for food safety have not been fully resolved by prior research. The present study assessed the effects of two different housing systems (conventional cages and colony cages enriched with perching and nesting areas) on the persistence of fecal shedding of Salmonella Enteritidis by groups of experimentally infected laying hens. In each of two trials, 136 hens were distributed among cages of both housing systems and orally inoculated with doses of 10(8) cfu of Salmonella Enteritidis (phage type 13a in one trial and phage type 4 in the other). At weekly intervals, samples of voided feces were collected from beneath each cage and cultured to detect Salmonella Enteritidis. Fecal shedding of Salmonella Enteritidis was detected for up to 8 wk post-inoculation by hens housed in enriched colony cages and 10 wk by hens housed in conventional cages. For both trials combined, the frequency of positive fecal cultures was significantly (P < 0.05) greater for conventional cages than for enriched colony cages at 1 wk (84.7 vs. 71.5%), 2 wk (54.2 vs. 31.3%), 3 wk (21.5 vs. 7.6%), and 4 wk (9.7 vs. 2.8%) post-inoculation. These results demonstrate that the susceptibility of hens to intestinal colonization by Salmonella Enteritidis can differ between conventional and enriched cage-based production systems, although this effect does not necessarily translate into a corresponding difference in the longer-term persistence of fecal shedding.

Horizontal transmission of Salmonella Enteritidis in experimentally infected laying hens housed in conventional or enriched cages

The majority of human illnesses caused by Salmonella Enteritidis are attributed to contaminated eggs, and the prevalence of this pathogen in commercial laying flocks has been identified as a leading epidemiologic risk factor. Flock housing and management systems can affect opportunities for the introduction, transmission, and persistence of foodborne pathogens in poultry. The animal welfare implications of different types of housing for laying hens have been widely discussed in recent years, but the food safety consequences of these production systems remain incompletely understood. The present study assessed the effects of 2 different housing systems (conventional cages and colony cages enriched with perching and nesting areas) on the horizontal transmission of experimentally introduced Salmonella Enteritidis infection within groups of laying hens. In each of 2 trials, 136 hens were distributed among cages of both housing systems and approximately one-third of the hens in each cage were orally inoculated with doses of 10(8) cfu of Salmonella Enteritidis (phage type 13a in one trial and phage type 4 in the other). At regular intervals through 23 d postinoculation, cloacal swabs were collected from all hens (inoculated and uninoculated) and cultured for Salmonella Enteritidis. Horizontal contact transmission of infection was observed for both Salmonella Enteritidis strains, reaching peak prevalence values of 27.1% of uninoculated hens in conventional cages and 22.7% in enriched cages. However, no significant differences (P > 0.05) in the overall frequencies of horizontal Salmonella Enteritidis transmission were evident between the 2 types of housing. These results suggest that opportunities for Salmonella Enteritidis infection to spread horizontally throughout laying flocks may be similar in conventional and enriched cage-based production systems.

Contamination of eggs by Salmonella Enteritidis in experimentally infected laying hens housed in conventional or enriched cages

Both epidemiologic analyses and active disease surveillance confirm an ongoing strong association between human salmonellosis and the prevalence of Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Enteritidis in commercial egg flocks. The majority of human illnesses caused by this pathogen are attributed to the consumption of contaminated eggs. Animal welfare concerns have increasingly influenced commercial poultry production practices in recent years, but the food safety implications of different housing systems for egg-laying hens are not definitively understood. The present study assessed the effects of 2 different housing systems (conventional cages and colony cages enriched with perching and nesting areas) on the frequency of Salmonella Enteritidis contamination inside eggs laid by experimentally infected laying hens. In each of 2 trials, groups of laying hens housed in each cage system were orally inoculated with doses of 1.0 × 10(8) cfu of Salmonella Enteritidis. All eggs laid between 5 and 25 d postinoculation were collected and cultured to detect internal contamination with Salmonella Enteritidis. For both trials combined, Salmonella Enteritidis was recovered from 3.97% of eggs laid by hens in conventional cages and 3.58% of eggs laid by hens in enriched cages. No significant differences (P > 0.05) in the frequency of egg contamination were observed between the 2 housing systems.

Colonization of internal organs by Salmonella Enteritidis in experimentally infected laying hens housed in conventional or enriched cages

More human illnesses caused by Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Enteritidis throughout the world have been linked to the consumption of contaminated eggs than to any other food vehicle. Deposition of this pathogen in the edible contents of eggs occurs when systemic infections of laying hens involve colonization of reproductive organs. In recent years, the consequences of different housing systems for laying flocks have become the focus of international attention from both animal welfare and public health perspectives. Nevertheless, many questions remain unresolved regarding the food safety implications of various laying hen production systems. The present study assessed the effects of 2 different housing types (conventional cages and colony cages enriched with perching, nesting, and scratching areas) on the invasion of internal organs by Salmonella Enteritidis in experimentally infected laying hens. In 2 trials, groups of laying hens housed in each cage system were orally inoculated with doses of 1.0 × 10(7) cfu of Salmonella Enteritidis. At 5 to 6 d postinoculation, hens were euthanized and samples of internal organs were removed for bacteriologic culturing. For both trials combined, Salmonella Enteritidis was recovered from 95.3% of cecal samples, with no significant differences observed between housing systems. However, Salmonella Enteritidis was detected at significantly (P < 0.05) higher frequencies from hens in conventional cages than from hens in enriched cages for samples of livers (96.9 vs. 75.0%), spleens (93.8 vs. 53.1%), ovaries (25.0 vs. 10.4%), and oviducts (19.8 vs. 2.1%). These results demonstrate that differences in housing systems for egg-laying flocks can affect the susceptibility of hens to colonization of internal organs by Salmonella Enteritidis.

Salmonella enteritidis deposition in eggs after experimental infection of laying hens with different oral doses

The continuing attribution of human Salmonella Enteritidis infections to internally contaminated eggs has necessitated the commitment of substantial public and private resources to Salmonella Enteritidis testing and control programs in commercial laying flocks. Cost-effective risk-reduction requires a detailed and comprehensive understanding of how Salmonella Enteritidis infections in hens result in deposition of the pathogen inside eggs. The present study sought to resolve some incompletely defined aspects of the relationship between Salmonella Enteritidis oral-exposure dose levels in experimentally infected laying hens and the frequency and location of subsequent egg contamination. In two trials, groups of specific-pathogen-free hens were experimentally inoculated with oral doses of 10(4), 10(6), or 10(8) CFU of a phage type 4 Salmonella Enteritidis strain. Eggs were collected 5 to 23 days postinoculation, and the yolk and albumen of each egg were cultured separately to detect Salmonella Enteritidis contamination. Larger oral doses of Salmonella Enteritidis administered to hens were associated with significant increases in the frequencies of both yolk and albumen contamination. Moreover, Salmonella Enteritidis was found in the albumen of a far-higher proportion of contaminated eggs from hens given the largest dose than from the other two groups. Salmonella Enteritidis contamination was detected in 0.7% of yolk and 0.2% of albumen samples after inoculation of hens with 10(4) CFU, 4.0% of yolk and 1.7% of albumen samples after inoculation with 10(6) CFU, and 6.5% of yolk and 10.8% of albumen samples after inoculation with 10(8) CFU. These results demonstrate that oral-exposure doses of Salmonella Enteritidis for laying hens can significantly affect both the frequency and location of deposition of this pathogen inside eggs.