Abstract
Adhesion and colonization of high (2 × 108 CFU) and low doses (2 × 102 CFU) ofSalmonella enteritidis (phage type 4) was determined in the ceca collected 6 h-4 weeks after inoculation (pi), of 1-d-old White Plymouth Rock orally-inoculated chickens.S. enteritidis was associated with the epithelial surface of the villi in the low-dose group 18 h-7 d pi, the penetration in the cecal lamina propria was observed on day 1 and 10 pi. In the high-dose group, adhesion and colonization was observed in all birds killed 6 h-14 d pi; penetration of the bacteria into the cecal lamina propria was seen 1–21 d pi. Large numbers of macrophage-like cells containingS. enteritidis were observed in the cecal lamina propria on days 3–21 pi. Colonization and migration byS. enteritidis in the intestinal tract of chickens was shown to be dose dependent.