The effects of induced molting on the severity of acute intestinal inflammation caused by Salmonella enteritidis.

This study describes and compares early inflammation caused by Salmonella enteritidis in molted and nonmolted hens. Adult white leghorn chickens were orally infected with Salmonella enteritidis 4 days after feed removal. At 2, 4, 8, 10, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hr after infection, the hens were euthanatized, and the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, cecum, and colon were evaluated by light microscopy. Two trials were conducted, and in both trials inflammation occurred more frequently and was significantly greater in the cecum and colon of molted-infected hens compared with nonmolted-infected hens beginning at 8 hr after infection. In one trial, inflammation was more severe in the ileum of molted-infected hens compared with nonmolted-infected hens. Results indicated that molting by feed deprivation shortened the time of onset and increased the severity of acute intestinal inflammation caused by Salmonella enteritidis.