A model of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, septic arthritis, and osteomyelitis in chickens

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Abstract
We studied the occurrence, magnitude, and kinetics of bacteremia and the resultant osteomyelitis and septic arthritis in an avian model of Staphylococcus aureus infection. Thirty-day-old male broiler chicks were inoculated i.v. with 105, 106, or 107 cfu of strain Duntravis, a β-hemolytic, coagulaseproducing, capsular type 8 isolate from the synovial fluid of a 2-year-old black boy. Bacteremia occured in 80%, 90%, and 100% of animals inoculated with 105, 106, or 107 cfu, respectively. The magnitude of bacteremia in surviving, bacteremic animals increased for 96 hours after inoculation and then decreased after a plateau phase. Osteomyelitis and septic arthritis occurred only in chicks that were continuously bacteremic. The occurrence of osteomyelitis was uniform among continuously bacteremic animals and developed 1 to 23 hours after inoculation. Chickens are susceptible to systemic infections with S. aureus. Bacteremia, osteomyelitis, and septic arthritis may be induced in healthy chickens without prior manipulations that depress their resistance.