Abstract
1. Seventy 1‐d‐old broiler chicks were experimentally inoculated orally with Yersinia enterocolitica serotype 0:3 (1.4×1011cells/chick), 0:8 (1.6×1011 cells) and 0:9 (8.0×1010 cells) with or without sodium bicarbonate solution (10 g/1).
2. None of the chicks showed any overt clinical signs or pathological lesions although the organism was demonstrated in the ileum and shedding was observed up to 13 d after exposure.
3. The serotype, dose of Y. enterocolitica and administration of NaHCO3 solution had no significant effect on the weight gain of exposed broiler chicks.
4. Y. enterocolitica was isolated from the liver, spleen, heart and gall bladder of infected chicks 70 d after exposure.
5. Although broiler chicks appear resistant to high doses of Y. enterocolitica by the oral route, detection of the organism in the organs of infected chickens is of public health significance.
Notes
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