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.