A Trial to Prevent Colonization of Internal Organs of Chicks by Salmonella Enterica Serovar Enteritidis Using Autogenous Bacterin

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the efficacy of the locally prepared autogenous Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis bacterin in the prevention of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis infection in broiler chicks. A total of forty (40) chicken feed samples were randomly collected and screened for the presence of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis using pour plate technique. The isolate obtained was characterized and identified using the colonial descriptions, morphological and biochemical characteristics. The pathogenic potential of the isolate on chicks was investigated by challenging the chicks orally using 0.5 ml of the inoculum (10⁸cells/ml). All chicks were kept under complete observation for 2 weeks for pathological signs and symptoms, mortalities and gross lesions of the internal organs of the chicks. The protective effect of locally prepared autogenous bacterin was investigated using in vivo method. The titer of antibodies produced by the vaccinated chicks was determined using micro agglutination test.  Twenty-three (57.5%) samples out of 40 chicken feed samples were positive for Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis. There were significant (P<0.05) obvious pathological signs and gross lesions in the internal organs of the infected chicks when compared to uninfected chicks (control). The serological investigation revealed an improvement in the titer of antibodies after vaccination. The autogenous bacterin significantly (P<0.05) reduced the pathological features when compared to infected non protected chicks. The significant viable mean plate counts were obtained from the internal organs of the infected non-protected chicks which significantly (P<0.05) decreased when protected with the autogenous bacterin. The study has shown that the tested autogenous bacterin proved to be safe and effective against the isolate.