Nitrofuran Medication for Experimental Salmonella typhimurium Infection in Poults

Abstract

OR many years, typhoid has been a disease of economic importance in the poultry industry, and thus far, no completely satisfactory treatment has been offered. Some sulfonamides, although helpful in reducing mortality from the disease, have on the other hand given conflicting results or practically no response in virulent outbreaks. In 1953, the synthetic nitrofuran drug furazolidone (Furoxone*) was reported effective in vitro against common species of Salmonella at concentrations of 0.2 to 5.5 mcg/ml.l In contrast with sulfonamides, and antibiotics, this nitrofuran was found bactericidal at these low levels.8 Results of studies with 0.02 to 0.04 percent of the drug in the feed of chickens infected with S. pullorum,210 S. galllinarum,1, 7 and S. typhimurium'0 indicate that this drug can reduce the severity of infection, mortality rate, and the appearance of the carrier state. Similar favorable results were reported in turkeys infected with S. gallinarum1,3 and S. typhimurium,69 as recently reviewed by Sieburth.6 Although S. pullorum and S. gallinarum are the most important salmonellas that cause disease in chickens, S. typhimurium constitutes the most common and economically important Salmonella that infects turkeys.