Fowlpox

Taxobox | color=violet
name = "Fowlpox virus"
virus_group = i
familia = "Poxviridae"
genus = "Avipoxvirus"
species = "Fowlpox virus"

Fowlpox is a worldwide disease of poultry caused by viruses of the family "Poxviridae" and the genus "Avipoxvirus". The viruses causing fowlpox are distinct from one another but antigenically similar, possible hosts including chickens, turkeys, quail, canaries, pigeons, and many other species of birds. There are two forms of the disease. The first is spread by biting insects (especially mosquitoes) and wound contamination and causes lesions on the comb, wattles, and beak. Birds affected by this form usually recover within a few weeks. The second form is spread by inhalation of the virus and causes a diphtheritic membrane to form in the mouth, pharynx, larynx, and sometimes the trachea. The prognosis for this form is poor.cite book|author=Fenner, Frank J.; Gibbs, E. Paul J.; Murphy, Frederick A.; Rott, Rudolph; Studdert, Michael J.; White, David O.|title=Veterinary Virology (2nd ed.)|publisher=Academic Press, Inc|year=1993|id=ISBN 0-12-253056-X]

Vaccines are available for fowlpox. Chicken are usually vaccinated with "pigeonpox virus". Turkeys are also routinely vaccinated.cite web|author=Carter, G.R.; Wise, D.J.|year=2006|title=Poxviridae|work=A Concise Review of Veterinary Virology| url=http://www.ivis.org/advances/Carter/Part2Chap10/chapter.asp?LA=1|accessdate=2006-06-13]

References