What are the signs of pox virus infection?
There are several distinct clinical syndromes seen in birds infected with a pox virus. In the cutaneous form of the disease, nodular or crusted areas of the non-feathered skin are seen. These lesions most often occur around the face and on the feet, beginning as white or yellow areas that rapidly progress to form crusts. In lovebirds, pox virus lesions often appear on darkened or discolored areas of the skin. In the diphtheritic form of a pox virus infection, lesions may occur by themselves or with skin lesions. Thickened plaques occur in the mouth, throat, or sinuses. Canary pox may present as sudden death or the sudden onset of difficult breathing. How is pox virus diagnosed? While the skin lesions and plaques that occur in pox virus infection can suggest pox virus, other diseases such as bacterial or fungal diseases, abscesses, and tumors may appear similarly. Diagnosis is best made by a biopsy of the lesion; attempts to isolate the virus from the lesions can also be used. How is po
