Journal of Veterinary and Applied Sciences

Abstract
Fowl typhoid is a septicaemic disease in turkeys, which is caused by Salmonella gallinarum (SG). This study investigated the histopathogic changes in the Peyer’s patches, caecal tonsils, bursa of Fabricius and spleen of turkeys infected with SG. Fifty White Nicholas turkeys (fourteen-week old) were randomly assigned to two groups (A and B) of 25 each: Group A was infected with SG while Group B was the uninfected control. Each bird in group A was inoculated with 0. 2 ml of 1×10⁸ colony forming units (cfu) of SG orally (into the crop), while each bird in group B received 0.2 ml of phosphate buffered saline as placebo, through the same route. At days 3, 4, 6, 11 and 21 post-infection (PI), samples of the Peyer’s patches, caecal tonsils, bursa of Fabricius and spleen were collected from birds in each group and processed for histopathology. The Peyer’s patches of the infected group (Group A) showed attenuation of the overlying intestinal mucosa, inflammatory oedema with fibrin exudation and lymphocytic necrosis in the lamina propria at day 4 PI. These lesions progressed to lymphocytic depletion with influx of heterophils at day 6 PI. Similar inflammatory changes were observed in the caecal tonsils, but in this case were accompanied by presence of necrotic debris in the crypts and lumen at day 3 PI, and marked oedema, lymphocytic depletion with influx of heterophils at day 6 PI. The bursa of Fabricius showed similar but marked inflammatory changes with lymphocytic necrosis, interfollicular oedema and hyperaemia at day 3 PI, followed by marked lymphocytic depletion with influx of heterophils at day 6 PI, and interfollicular fibroplasia at day 11 PI. The spleen showed lymphocytic necrosis and fibrinoheterophilic exudation at day 3 PI, followed by lymphocytic depletion with influx of heterophils at day 6 PI. Results of this study underscore the significance of the lymphoid organs in the pathogenesis and pathology of Salmonella gallinarum infection in turkeys.

Keywords: Salmonella gallinarum; Turkeys; Histopathology; Lymphoid organs; Experimental infection.

How to cite this article:
Igwe AO (2024). Histopathological alterations in the lymphoid organs of turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) experimentally infected
with Salmonella gallinarum. Journal of Veterinary and Applied Sciences, 14(1): 594 – 606.

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