Microflora of the bursa of Fabricius of chickens.

Bacterial flora of the bursa of Fabricius of chickens consisted of Enterobacteriaceae, Streptococci and Lactobacilli. The colonization of the bacteria in the bursa of Fabricius and the intestinal tract occurred simultaneously shortly after hatching. Intestinal bacteria inoculated directly onto the anal lips of newly hatched chickens were not recovered from the bursa after 2 hr post-inoculation except resident strains of the bursa and Bifidobacteria. These results suggest a possibility that various bacteria, which are possibly incorporated into the bursa by pumping mechanisms synchronized with the respiratory movement, can be subjected to a selective elimination mechanism of the host.