Figure 2

qPCR assessment of bacteria in feces. The mean total load of S. Typhimurium (solid line, filled circle) in the single infection treatment group A as well as both S. Typhimurium and S. Mbandaka (dotted line, solid square) in the co-infection group B were determined using serotype specific qPCR. In both treatment groups, the amount of bacteria shed in feces varied significantly over time (A, B) (p ≤ 0.001). No statistically significant difference was observed in the total amount of S. Typhimurium and S. Mbandaka shed in co-infected birds. Differences in the limit of detection (hashed line) between the two qPCR reactions prevented a comparison between the shedding of S. Typhimurium in singly verses the co-infected birds.