The objective of this study was to determine whether the eggs from laying hens infected with an isolate of B. pilosicoli recovered from an HIV-infected patient with diarrhoea could be a potential source of infection for human (Australia). Over a four-week period following experimental infection, a group of eight inoculated chickens showed a persistent and significant increase in faecal water content. Three of eight birds had positive faecal cultures and remained so. Post-mortem examination revealed no specific pathological changes. No spirochetal attachment to the cecal epithelium was observed. Although the cluacal and faecal swab culture of the infected birds were positive, swab culture taken from egg surface and culture from egg content were negative. Post-mortem swab cultures taken from the oviduct mucosa of infected birds was also negative. The results were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. In conclusion, although a human strain of B. pilosicoli could infect the laying hens, their eggs are not a potential source of infection for human.

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