Histopathological diagnosis of cutaneous smallpox in backyard poultry (Gallus domesticus) in Uruguay

Abstract

The histopathologic diagnosis of cutaneous pox in backyard chicken (Gallus domesticus) in Uruguay is described. The clinical case corresponds to a chicken that presented nodules on the eyelids, beak commissure, stifles, earlobes, crest, and hocks. A clinical evaluation, necropsy and histopathological analysis were performed. The presence of typical intracytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusion bodies in skin lesions were demonstrated, which are produced by fowlpox virus. This report is the first histopathological description of Pox virus infection in backyard poultry in Uruguay. Through this laboratory technique it was possible to confirm the clinical diagnosis since histopathological lesions found are typical of infection caused by this avian virus.