Investigation into the role of five Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis genomic islands in colonization of the chicken reproductive tract and other organs following oral challenge

Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis is a major cause of human gastrointestinal tract disease, infection being due in large part to the consumption of contaminated eggs. Recent genome sequencing of S. enterica serovars has identified genomic islands, the presence of which differs between serovars. Using defined mutants, we have investigated the contribution that five such loci play in the colonization of the avian reproductive tract, other organs and avian macrophages. All loci appear to play a small role in infection of liver and spleen, but not in colonization of the reproductive tract or macrophages. © 2012 Federation of European Microbiological Societies.