Gallibacterium anatis seriously affects egg production in commercial layer flocks. As a result the economical loss is considerable. Limited treatment options are available. Preventing transmission of the disease seems to be the most effective way of getting it under control. Gallibacterium anatis (formerly known as Pasteurella kaemolytica) is a Gram-negative bacterium of the Pasteurellaceae family that was first reported as G. anatis in 2003. The first reports, however, using the previously known names date back to 1950. Before changing nomenclature, Pasteurella anatis, Actinobacillus salping-tidis, Pasteurella hemolitica used to be the former names given. At some point it was thought that G. anatis was part of the normal microbiota of the upper respiratory tract of chickens and some other bird species. However, there is a report in which flocks from several husbandry systems (implying various biosecurity level systems) were monitored. Several birds showed to be negative for the isolation of G. anatis. The reason for which G. anatis can become invasive and spread from the upper respiratory tract to internal organs and have an effect on the health of the birds has not been elucidated. Within the first characterisations, it has been determined thatG. anatis is an encapsulated, non-motile and that most of the strains are haemolytic.
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