SUMMARYMicrobiological examination of poultry bruises revealed that 61.0–74.2 of the tissues examined harbored both aerobic and anerobic bacteria. These organisms were found, in experimentally inflicted bruises, to increase in number at the early stages of healing (1–2 days), followed by a rapid decrease to the level of the controls within 4–6 days. Age of bruise, environmental conditions (sanitation of batteries, temperature, and moisture), severity of the bruise, and hemoglobin and its degradation'products were found to be among factors affecting the microbial content and their growth in bruised tissue.A total of 86 predominant organisms were isolated from experimentally inflicted bruises; of these, 47 were Gram‐positive cocci, 19 Gram‐negative rods, 11 yeasts, 7 Gram‐positive rods, and 2 Gram‐negative cocci. Thirty‐six percent of the Gram‐positive cocci were found to belong to the genus Staphylococcus. Forty‐eight percent of theStaphylococcuscultures were identified asS. aureus, and the others wereS. epidermis.Fecal material and poultry feed were shown to be the source of the predominant organisms.The skin of the injured tissue may be a possible portal of entry of these microorganisms. Bruising increased the permeability of the tissue as determined by dye penetration and the extent of
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