title: Role of the humoral immune system in Salmonella enteritidis phage type four infection in chickens.
abstract: The role of avian humoral immunity in the clearance of S. enteritidis was evaluated through bursectomy. After oral inoculation of bursectomized and sham-treated chickens with S. enteritidis, faecal excretion of S. enteritidis was examined. Organs were collected weekly until six weeks post-inoculation (pi) for bacteriological enumeration. Antibody isotypes in serum and bile were quantified by ELISA. Faecal excretion of S. enteritidis was significantly lower in controls from 13 days pi. Numbers of S. enteritidis in caeca from controls were significantly decreased from three weeks pi. Numbers of S. enteritidis were significantly decreased at two weeks pi in the spleen and the liver and at six weeks pi in the liver. Antibodies to S. enteritidis peaked at two weeks pi in controls and were absent in bursectomized chickens. These findings indicate that elimination of S. enteritidis partly depends on humoral immunity. The intestinal humoral response appeared more effective than the systemic humoral response for elimination of S. enteritidis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Gent, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Desmidt
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ducatelle
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mast
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Goddeeris
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kaspers
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haesebrouck
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D002060:Bursa of Fabricius / Q000276:immunology; D002645:Chickens; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D012481:Salmonella Infections, Animal / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D012483:Salmonella Phages / Q000145:classification; D012477:Salmonella enteritidis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000821:virology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes