The avian haemophili

Abstract

There are four currently recognized taxa to accommodate the avian haemophili: Haemophilus paragallinarum, Pasteurella avium, Pasteurella volantium, and Pasteurella species A (the last three being formerly united as Haemophilus avium). A range of other taxa has also been recognized, but they have been neither named nor assigned to a genus. All of these various taxa, legitimate and otherwise, have the common characteristic of requiring V factor, but not X factor, for in vitro growth. Several recent studies have established the phenotypic properties that allow the differentiation of the recognized taxa, both named and unnamed. The serological properties of H. paragallinarum, the causative agent of infectious coryza of chickens, has received considerable recent attention. In contrast, many questions on the pathogenicity and virulence mechanisms of H. paragallinarum remain unanswered. Another area requiring further work is the identification of those antigens responsible for inducing protective immunity in vaccinated or naturally infected chickens.