Hafnia alvei infection in pullets in Italy.

This paper describes an outbreak of disease caused by Hafnia alvei in pullets. Cloudy swelling and the fatty degeneration of liver associated with splenic lymphocytic depletion were the most preminent lesions. The organism was identified by biochemical tests and by a Hafnia-specific bacteriophage test. Laying hens and pullets were infected experimentally with the organism by the oral and intraperitoneal route, and the clinical and pathological effects were similar to those observed in naturally infected subjects. The use of more sensitive diagnostic tests is suggested to avoid the possibility of a misdiagnosis due to similarities between this organism and Salmonella species.