title: Effect of prolonged administration of dietary capsaicin on Salmonella enteritidis infection in leghorn chicks.
abstract: The effect of 14 or 19 days of dietary capsaicin (18 ppm) on Salmonella enteritidis infection and histological, morphometric, and pH changes of the ceca was investigated. At day 13 or day 18, chicks were challenged with 10(8) colony-forming units of S. enteritidis. Chicks were killed and cultured 24 hours later. The total number of S. enteritidis-organ-culture-positive chicks was significantly lower among chicks fed capsaicin for either 14 or 19 days than among controls (P < 0.05). Subjective histological examination revealed a mild to moderate infiltration of mononuclear cells and heterophils in lamina propria of ceca, as well as epithelial cell proliferation in chicks following either 14 or 19 days of capsaicin administration. Using morphometric analysis, the mean lamina propria thickness and mean epithelial cell thickness in chickens fed capsaicin for 14 or 19 days were significantly greater than in controls (P < 0.05). Capsaicin significantly decreased luminal pH in both trials (P < 0.05). These data indicate that the observed capsaicin-induced resistance to S. enteritidis organ invasion is associated with measurable pH and morphological changes of the cecal mucosa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843.
authors.forename: G I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Tellez
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jaeger
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Corrier
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: DeLoach
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Hargis
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D002211:Capsaicin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002432:Cecum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D002645:Chickens / Q000382:microbiology*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012481:Salmonella Infections, Animal / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012477:Salmonella enteritidis / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D002211:Capsaicin