Turkeypox

Turkeypox is a virus of the family "Poxviridae" and the genus "Avipoxvirus". [Citation |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=UtxUbXOfAFUC&pg=PA433&lpg=PA433&dq=turkeypox+in+humans&source=web&ots=K0aldMCymP&sig=F5_Cb58rV4Q3C3QlJwlk4l85-z4
title=Hagan and Bruner's Microbiology and Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals |first=William Arthur |last=Hagan |first=John Francis |last=Timoney |publisher=Cornell University Press |year=1988 |isbn=0801418968 ] It is one of the most common diseases in the Wild Turkey ("Meleagris gallopavo") population. [Citation |url=http://www.jwildlifedis.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/141 |title=INTERACTIVE EFFECTS OF TURKEYPOX VIRUS AND PLASMODIUM HERMANI ON TURKEY POULTS |first=Elizabeth J. |last=Wright |first2=Jai K. |last2=Nayar |journal=Journal of Wildlife Diseases |issue=41(1) |year=2005 |pages=141-148 ]

Causes

Turkeypox is caused by the fowlpox virus, which infects birds. [http://www.msstate.edu/dept/poultry/disviral.htm]

Turkeypox, like all avipoxviruses, is transmitted either through skin contact or by arthropods (typically mosquitos) acting as mechanical vectors.Citation |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=lFXrgRz2Zp0C&pg=PA50&lpg=PA50&dq=turkeypox&source=web&ots=gmwsGYW3ju&sig=CBjIluHN5ayLxb191J73KFutrmQ
title=Diseases of Wild Waterfowl |first=Gary A. |last=Wobeser |publisher=Springer |isbn=0306455900 |year=1997 |pages=50 ]

ee also

* Chickenpox, an unrelated disease affecting humans

References