Effects of furazolidone pretreatment of Salmonella enteritidis PT4 at sub- and suprainhibitory concentrations on phagocytosis and intracellular survival in chicken macrophages

The antimicrobial effect of the nitrofuran derivative furazolidone at sub- and suprainhibitory concentrations on Salmonella enteritidis PT4 and the influence with regard to interaction with avian macrophages was investigated in this study. Phagocytosis of furazolidone-sensitive (Fz S) S. enteritidis with chicken macrophages in the presence of furazolidone at concentrations of 1/8, 1/4, 1/2 and 8× MIC resulted in an increase in the rate of phagocytic killing of approximately 3-, 6-, 6.5- and 9-fold, respectively, with 1/2 and 8× MIC concentrations producing statistically significant ( P