DOI: 10.36347/sjavs.2017.v04i05.005

Pages: 205-208

Abstract: Outbreak of turkey pox was reported in unvaccinated turkey poults of 5 weeks old in a private household. Affected birds showed both cutaneous and diphtheritic form of pox lesions. Several coalescing, round nodular lesions were found in the eyelids, head, legs and some were superficially ulcerated. Post mortem examination revealed diphtheritic necrotic membranes lining the oral cavity and upper respiratory system in all the birds. Histopathological examination of the skin lesions showed large clusters of hypertrophic and hyperplastic epidermal stratified squamous epithelium, surrounded by dense fibroblastic stroma, swollen pale keratinocytes with a foamy, vacuolated cytoplasm and Bollinger bodies. Based on the clinical, post mortem and histopathological examination the disease outbreaks were confirmed as turkey pox. The Client was adviced to apply gention violet (gentamycin) spray externally and to give Gendox (R) (genatamycin and doxycycline) antibiotic powder @ 4 gm/ litre of drinking water along with B- complex vitamin for 5 days. Clinical signs in the affected birds disappeared completely in 6 weeks post treatment with only two of the birds having permanent blindness of the affected eyes.