The anaerobic, Gram negative, filamentous bacteria associated with
severe beak and shank necrosis in chickens was identified as
Fusobacterium necrophorum (F. necrophorum). Bacteriological
isolation from affected beak, liver and shank revealed a single
morphological type of Gram negative, filamentous bacterium within
the dermis of the affected beak and shank of the fowl. A
hemagglutination test for identification of F. necrophorum was
described. The antibiogram of the isolated strains was investigated.
Beak and shank necrosis occur in 56% of chickens. The mortality was
2-13%. Characterestic gross lesions of affected chickens were
swelling and necrosis of the beak, curvature of the upper mandible
with necrosis of the lower mandible and shanks. Histopathologically,
there were hyperkeratosis and keratolysis in epidermis of the beak
with infiltration of rod-shaped microorganisms in dermal regions
suffered from coagulative necrosis. The epidermis of the affected
shanks showed hyperkeratosis, hyperplastic changes and coagulative
necrosis of the underlying tissue intangled with bacteria.