Isolation and characterization of Ochrobactrum anthropi and Ochrobactrum pecoris from caecal content of commercial turkeys

Two Gram negative, micro-aerophilic, non-motile and non-spore-forming coccoid bacteria were isolated from female turkey caecal samples collected from a slaughterhouse. The biochemical reaction profiles (API 20 E and API 20 NE) typed both strains as Ochrobactrum anthropi. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene and recA gene sequence similarities the strains were identified as O. anthropi and Ochrobactrum pecoris, respectively. Both strains were highly resistant against beta-lactam antibiotics, chloramphenicol and sulphonamides but variable in susceptibility to ciprofloxacin, gentamicin and tetracycline. This is the first time that Ochrobactrum species were isolated from an avian host, i.e. turkey.