Invasion of Salmonella typhimurium into the cecal wall of gnotobiotic chickens with Eimeria tenella

Salmonella typhimurium was recovered from cecal contents and the cecal wall of gnotobiotic chickens infected with S. typhimurium (10(4) cfu/bird) 2, 4, 6, or 8 days after Eimeria tenella infection (5 X 10(4) oocysts/bird) and killed 1 day after S. typhimurium infection. Bacterial counts in the cecal contents of chickens killed 5, 7, and 9 days after S. typhimurium and E. tenella infection were significantly greater than those in chickens infected with S. typhimurium alone. Number of S. typhimurium in the cecal wall of birds killed 5 or 7 days after coccidial infection were significantly greater than those of birds infected with S. typhimurium alone. It appears that S. typhimurium easily invaded the cecal wall, which had been damaged by coccidial infection.