In vivo transfer of antibiotic resistance to a strain of Salmonella arizonae.

Two trials were conducted to determine the transferability of antibiotic resistance in vivo between two strains of enteric bacteria. Newly hatched turkey poults were inoculated per os with a strain of Escherichia coli resistant to kanamycin, tetracycline, and ampicillin, a strain of Salmonella arizonae resistant to nalidixic acid and streptomycin, or both strains. Kanamycin was added to the drinking water of some poults. To test for S. arizonae cells which had received transferable resistance determinants in vivo from the E. coli strain, samples were collected by swabbing the recta of the poults and by removing segments of the intestines and livers after the birds were sacrificed. Nalidixic acid was added to the isolation media to prevent in vitro transfer from occurring after the samples were collected. Salmonella arizonae resistant to nalidixic acid, streptomycin, kanamycin, tetracycline, and ampicillin were isolated from 20% of the rectal samples taken from poults that had received both bacterial strains. S. arizonae cells which had received resistance determinants in vivo were also isolated from 73% of the intestinal samples and 8% of the liver samples taken from birds inoculated with both donor E. coli and recipient S. arizonae. Salmonella arizonae demonstrating resistance to all five antibiotics were recovered from all intestinal samples taken from birds given kanamycin in their drinking water immediately after the last S. arizonae inoculation but from only 43% of such samples taken from birds given no kanamycin.