A new facultatively anaerobic gram-negative fermentative rod obtained from different pathological lesions in poultry and tentatively designated taxon 14.

The taxonomic relationship of 33 unclassified avian Pasteurella-\]ke organisms obtained from sinusitis in ducks, pharyngitis in turkeys and rhinitis in a pigeon was investigated by phenotypic and genotypic characterisation. The strains investigated formed a homogeneous group, tentatively designated taxon 14. Two biovars were demonstrated within taxon 14. Both phenotypic and genotypic characters of taxon 14 suggest classification of taxon 14 outside the family Pasteurellaceae Pohl 1981. The final taxonomic position of taxon 14 remains to be determined. Organisms obtained from endemic sinusitis in mallards all belonged to biovar. 1 of taxon 14. Strains with phenotypic characters similar to this biovar have previously been isolated from poultry in Hungary.