diagnosis of gallibacterium anatis in pet birds: first report in the world

Gallibacterium anatis (g. anatis), a member of the pasteurellaceae family, leads to a decrease in egg production, animal welfare, and an increase in mortality. this study aimed to diagnose g. anatis in pet birds using molecular and histopathology techniques. this study investigated g. anatis in 120 deceased companion bird tissues (heart, liver, lung, spleen, and trachea) from three iranian cities (yazd, tabriz, and ahvaz). molecular techniques utilizing 16s rrna specific primers and confirmation through histopathology were employed for g. anatis identification. g. anatis was isolated in 3 (2.5%) of the examined samples, and molecular detection was confirmed by histopathology. non-specific clinical signs such as anorexia and weight loss were recorded during clinical examinations. additionally, at necropsy, there were multifocal granulomatous hepatitis, foamy fluid in the trachea, and vascular congestion in the kidney and intestine. histopathological examinations revealed multifocal nephritis and hepatitis, necrotizing enteritis, tracheitis, along with mixed inflammatory cell infiltration. as a result, this study detected the presence of g. anatis in pet birds for the first time. it is believed that g. anatis could contribute to egg production losses through respiratory tract infections in poultry, indicating that pet birds may serve as a source of infection in poultry farms.