What tends to be the reservoir for Salmonella enteritidis for shelled eggs?

• A. House mice
• B. Chickens
• C. Cows
• D. Pigeons

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that the environment where eggs are produced can harbor Salmonella enteritidis, and certain animals in that environment serve as reservoirs that contaminate the eggs. House mice are a common reservoir in poultry facilities because they live where birds are kept, shed Salmonella in their feces, and can contaminate surfaces and eggshells during handling and collection. This makes shelled eggs particularly at risk when rodent control and sanitation are inadequate. While chickens can carry Salmonella and may lead to contamination of eggs from the hen itself, the question focuses on what tends to be the reservoir that contaminates shelled eggs in production settings, and rodents are a key source of shell contamination. Cows and pigeons are not the typical reservoirs for this scenario.