Emergence of fowlpox in layer chickens: Epidemiological and clinical findings from Durg, India

Abstract

Outbreak of fowlpox (FP) was investigated in unvaccinated commercial layer farm in Durg and surrounding areas where significant morbidity was observed. The flocks exhibited typical clinical manifestation characterized by nodular and proliferative lesion on comb, wattle, eyelid. All ages of layers birds were affected. Epidemiological investigation revealed overall morbidity and mortality was 70 percent and 3.3 percent respectively. Hens were house in deep liter system. Affected birds showed depression, reduced feed intake and decreased egg production. Laboratory confirmation of the disease was performed using agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test, counter immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) test and histopathology of virus infected chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of embryonated chicken egg (ECE), all of which yielded positive results for the presence of the fowl pox virus. One field isolated of fowlpox virus was also subject to HA property and compared with vaccine strain of fowlpox virus. The aim of the present study is to investigate fowlpox infection in poultry farm near Durg district.