Studies on the pathogenesis of staphylococcal osteomyelitis in chickens. II. Role of the respiratory tract as a route of infection.

Groups of 6-week-old broiler chickens were exposed to Staphylococcus aureus by aerosol, intratracheal or intravenous (control) inoculation. No lesions were produced by aerosol. A single dose of up to 5 X 10(10) organisms given intratracheally failed to produce any lesions. Single or repeated doses of 5 X 10(11) organisms given intratracheally resulted in osteomyelitis in a low proportion of chickens.