Pathogenesis of infections with Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Muenchen in the turtle Trachemys scripta scripta Frank Pasmans a,* , Peter De Herdt a , Jeroen Dewulf b , Freddy Haesebrouck a a Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium b Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health, Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium Received 25 September 2001; received in revised form 11 March 2002; accepted 3 April 2002 Abstract The pathogenesis of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Muenchen infections in the aquatic turtle Trachemys scripta scripta was studied. After oral infection with 5  10 5 cfu of serovar Muenchen of 10–14-month-old turtles, kept at 26 8C, the intestine and especially the ileum, caecum and colon was colonized. Invasion of the intestinal wall, causing histopathological lesions, and colonization of internal organs were not observed. Serovar Muenchen was only isolated from turtles for 8 days after exposure. Keeping the turtles at 37 8C caused colonization of liver and spleen in two of six orally infected turtles and augmented the numbers of bacteria in the intestinal tract. In contrast to oral infections, intraperitoneal infections of turtles with serovar Muenchen enabled the bacterium to persist inside the host for at least 5 weeks. Clearance of serovar Muenchen from the liver and blood was more pronounced at 26 8C than at 37 8C. ELISA antibodies were demonstrated in intraperi- toneally but not in orally infected turtles kept at 26 8C. In conclusion, the lack of persistence and invasiveness of serovar Muenchen in T. s. scripta after oral exposure might be due to the turtle’s relatively low body temperature and/or the absence of well-organized gut-associated lymphoid tissue. # 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Muenchen; Turtle; Pathogenesis; ELISA Veterinary Microbiology 87 (2002) 315–325 * Corresponding author. Tel.: þ32-9-264-7434; fax: þ32-9-264-7494. E-mail address: frank.pasmans@rug.ac.be (F. Pasmans). 0378-1135/02/$ – see front matter # 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII:S0378-1135(02)00081-0