Scientists at the ARS National Animal Disease Center in Ames, Iowa have determined that Bordetella hinzii is not as innocent as previously believed. Until recently - B. hinzii was considered to be nonpathogenic in poultry. But scientists have now shown that the bacterium caused severe disease in turkeys that was attributed to another Bordetella species – B. avium.

The two Bordetellas are so similar that scientists could not tell them apart. But now - using highly specific DNA-based tests - scientists have shown that isolates labeled as B. avium were actually B. hinzii - flouting conventional wisdom that the bacterium could not cause disease in poultry.

In a related study with chickens - no birds developed clinical disease - suggesting that the pathogenicity of B. hinzii does not extend to chickens. NADC scientists are now examining how the disease-causing strains of the bacterium differ.