Atypical Fowl Pox in Silkie, Iran, 2021

Avian pox infection is a widespread disease with cyclical occurrence in endemic areas, especially in areas with dense poultry production. An unusual fowl pox outbreak has been diagnosed in 18 weeks old vaccinated Silkie herd during autumn 2021 in Qom province, Iran. The most characteristic observation of this outbreak was that the pox signs and lesions were observed on the feathered parts of the body. No Classical pox lesions were observed in the mouth, eyelids, and shank. The objective of this study was to report the occurrence of fowlpox in Silkie for the first time and describe clinical and molecular features of a case of atypical fowl pox, and to realize if a new isolate has been emerged and, if so, what the difference is and how it has appeared. The sample was collected from cutaneous lesions for molecular virus detection. Detected viruses were genetically similar to previous FP viruses.