Diagnosis of Gallibacterium Anatis in Layers: First Report in Turkey

ABSTRACT Gallibacterium anatis, a member of the Pasteurellaceae family, leads to decrease in egg-production, animal welfare and increase in mortality. This study aimed to diagnose G. Anatis, which caused economic losses in laying hens by using conventional and molecular techniques. In this study, G. anatis was examined from a total of 200 dead chicken tissues (heart, liver, lung, spleen and trachea) in laying hen farms that observed a decrease in egg production with respiratory system infection. Conventional methods based on colony morphology, sugar fermentation tests and hemolytic properties and molecular conformation using 16S rRNA-23S rRNA specific primers were performed to identify G. anatis. G. anatis was isolated in 20 (10%) of the examined samples and isolates were confirmed by conventional PCR. A total of 11 (2.2%) positivity was obtained as isolates were the result of PCR performed on tissues and organs directly. As a result, the presence of G. anatis was detected for the first time in Turkey by this study. It was thought that G. anatis may have a role in egg production losses due to respiratory tract infection in poultry and this situation may be a guide for poultry clinicians and microbiologists.

摘要 鸡加利杆菌（Gallibacterium anatis）是巴氏杆菌科（Pasteurellaceae）的成员，可导致产蛋量下降、动物福利受损并增加死亡率。本研究旨在通过传统与分子生物学技术，对引发蛋鸡经济损失的鸡加利杆菌（G. anatis）进行诊断。本研究从出现产蛋量下降并伴随呼吸道感染症状的蛋鸡养殖场中，采集了共计200份病死鸡组织（心脏、肝脏、肺脏、脾脏与气管）用于鸡加利杆菌的检测。研究采用基于菌落形态、糖发酵试验与溶血特性的传统鉴定方法，以及使用16S rRNA-23S rRNA特异性引物的分子鉴定技术，对鸡加利杆菌进行鉴定。在检测的样本中，共有20份（占比10%）分离得到鸡加利杆菌，且经传统聚合酶链式反应（PCR）验证了分离株的正确性。直接对组织器官进行PCR检测时，共获得11份（占比2.2%）阳性结果。本研究首次在土耳其检出鸡加利杆菌。研究认为，鸡加利杆菌可能在禽类呼吸道感染引发的产蛋量下降中发挥作用，该研究结果可为禽类临床兽医与微生物学家提供参考。