Turkeypox Virus

Overview of Turkeypox

Turkeypox virus (TPV) is an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus with a large linear genome of approximately 300 kb in size. TPV is a member of the Poxviridae family and belongs to the genus Avianpoxvirus. There are other nine well-known species in the poxviridae family, including: fowlpox virus, juncopox virus, mynahpox virus, psittacinepox virus, sparrowpox virus, starlingpox virus, pigeonpox virus, canarypox virus, and quailpox virus.

Hot Topcis of Turkeypox Virus

• TPV has caused severe economic losses in meat contamination, weight loss, and reduced egg production in Indian turkey flocks.
• TPV is one of the highly contagious diseases infecting all ages, genders and breeds, and is caused by double-stranded DNA viruses belonging to the poxviridae and coronaviridae subfamily in the genus avipoxvirus with a genome size of 188.53 kb.
• Vaccination of turkey flocks with fowl pox vaccine has been routine in some areas for many years. Vaccine viruses are usually administered via the wing-net or thigh route.

Visual Examples of Turkeypox Virus

• All of the turkeys showed clinical symptoms, turkeys exhibit lethargy, loss of appetite, and lethargy. At necropsy, dead turkeys show numerous round to irregularly sized raised nodules (scabs) 1-3 cm in diameter on the skin around the head, eyelids, and beak.

Figure 1. Turkey bird showing nodular growth on head, and around nostril.(International Journal of Livestock Research, 2019)

• Histopathological examination of the crusts revealed epidermal hyperplasia and severe balloon degeneration, intracytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusions, and a sparse infiltration of inflammatory cells, with heterophiles predominant. Cytological examination revealed pink round inclusions in clear vacuoles.

Figure 2. Skin crusted section shows severe balloon degeneration with eosinophilic inclusions and bacterial necrosis of cytoplasmic colonies (arrows).(International Journal of Livestock Research, 2019)

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Reference

1. Sawale G K, Lakshman M, Hanumanthrao M, et al. Histopathology, Cytology and Electron Microscopy Study of Turkey Pox[J].