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Review
. 2025 Apr;68(S1):448-454.
doi: 10.1637/aviandiseases-D-24-00097.

The Emergence of Streptococcus gallolyticus as a Pathogen in Turkeys

LaTasha S Gray  1 , Timothy J Johnson  2 , Kabel M Robbins  3 , Billy M Hargis  1 , Juan D Latorre  4
Affiliations
Review

The Emergence of Streptococcus gallolyticus as a Pathogen in Turkeys

LaTasha S Gray et al. Avian Dis. 2025 Apr.

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Streptococcus gallolyticus, formerly known as Streptococcus bovis, is a Gram-positive coccus bacterium that is a facultative anaerobe. Although it was previously considered a commensal bacterium that caused secondary disease because of a stressor, S. gallolyticus can now be considered a causative agent of disease associated with a variety of infections in both humans and animals. Streptococcus gallolyticus has become an emerging pathogen in the poultry industry, particularly in turkey poults, causing acute mortality, usually without any premonitory signs. In the southern portion of the United States, there has been an influx of S. gallolyticus infections occurring predominately in July and August. A majority of turkey poults most susceptible to this disease range in age between 1.5 and 2.5 wk of age. It is suggested that virulence capability relies on accessory genome components that may not be core to all S. gallolyticus strains. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of the nomenclature changes, identification, and emergence of S. gallolyticus in turkeys.

Presentacion de Streptococcus gallolyticus como patógeno en pavos. Streptococcus gallolyticus, anteriormente conocido como Streptococcus bovis, es una bacteria coco grampositiva que es anaeróbica facultativa. Aunque anteriormente se consideraba una bacteria comensal que causaba enfermedades secundarias debido a un factor estresante, ahora se puede considerar a S. gallolyticus como un agente causal de enfermedades asociadas con una variedad de infecciones tanto en humanos como en animales. Streptococcus gallolyticus se ha convertido en un patógeno emergente en la industria avícola, particularmente en los pavos jóvenes, causando mortalidad aguda, generalmente sin signos premonitorios. En la parte sur de los Estados Unidos, se ha producido una afluencia de infecciones por S. gallolyticus que se producen predominantemente en julio y agosto. La mayoría de los pavitos más susceptibles a esta enfermedad tienen entre 1.5 y 2.5 semanas de edad. Se sugiere que la capacidad de virulencia depende de componentes accesorios del genoma que pueden no ser fundamentales para todas las cepas de S. gallolyticus. En esta revisión, nuestro objetivo es proporcionar una descripción general de los cambios de nomenclatura, la identificación y la aparición de S. gallolyticus en pavos.

Keywords: Streptococcus bovis; Streptococcus gallolyticus; turkey.

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References

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