Avipoxvirus
Encyclopedia
Avipoxvirus is a member of the Poxviridae
family. The Poxviridae family is the family of viruses which cause the victim organism to have poxes as a symptom. This pox virus is one that affects birds only. Poxviruses have generally large genome
s, and other such examples include smallpox
and monkeypox
. Although it is comparably slow-spreading, Avipoxvirus is known to cause symptoms like pustules full of pus lining the skin and diphtheria
-like symptoms. These diphtheria-like symptoms might include dipitheric necrotic membranes lining the mouth and the upper respiratory tract
. This disease can be transmitted to humans by unusually close contact with birds that are infected or the consuming of liquids or solids that have been in extremely close contact with an infected bird. Not unlike other avian viruses, it can be transmitted through vectors mechanically such as through mosquito
es.
Avipoxvirus is a virus that is brick shaped and is usually 200 nanometers in diameter. This is much larger than normal virus
es which are around 60 nanometers in diameter. This virus can only be contracted through vectors and consumption of infected items, but they can be filtered by a special water filter. This filter is called a Large Volume Water Sampler (LVWS).
Unlike other viruses, avipoxvirus can withstand extreme dryness. With this advantage, it can spread on dust particles. This is because it has adapted to living in the dry mucous membranes of an infected host's upper respiratory tract.
As this virus is a poxvirus, it has a high mortality
rate in birds, as they do in humans. The effects of this virus might increase the difficulty of breathing, eating, and drinking significantly. Exterior lesions are restricted to the non-feathered parts of the body, usually the face and legs and are characterized by proliferative and necrotizing dermatitis. Another feature of this bird pox that has been observed is the presence of blood sacs or blisters filled with bloody fluid that will collapse when pierced with a needled and allowed to drain.
This virus has the highest mortality rate
in upland gamebirds such as songbird
s, marine birds such as seagulls, parrot
s, and some raptor
s such as the peregrine falcon
. If the victim of the virus survives long enough to breed, then the offspring
will become mentally retarded.
Other names for this peculiar
virus might include avian pox, fowlpox
, canarypox, juncopox, mynahpox, and many other names that correspond with its peculiar characteristics.
Poxviridae
Poxviruses are viruses that can, as a family, infect both vertebrate and invertebrate animals.Four genera of poxviruses may infect humans: orthopox, parapox, yatapox, molluscipox....
family. The Poxviridae family is the family of viruses which cause the victim organism to have poxes as a symptom. This pox virus is one that affects birds only. Poxviruses have generally large genome
Genome
In modern molecular biology and genetics, the genome is the entirety of an organism's hereditary information. It is encoded either in DNA or, for many types of virus, in RNA. The genome includes both the genes and the non-coding sequences of the DNA/RNA....
s, and other such examples include smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
and monkeypox
Monkeypox
Monkeypox also known as cockpox is an exotic infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus. The disease was first identified in laboratory monkeys, hence its name, but in its natural state it seems to infect rodents more often than primates...
. Although it is comparably slow-spreading, Avipoxvirus is known to cause symptoms like pustules full of pus lining the skin and diphtheria
Diphtheria
Diphtheria is an upper respiratory tract illness caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a facultative anaerobic, Gram-positive bacterium. It is characterized by sore throat, low fever, and an adherent membrane on the tonsils, pharynx, and/or nasal cavity...
-like symptoms. These diphtheria-like symptoms might include dipitheric necrotic membranes lining the mouth and the upper respiratory tract
Upper respiratory tract
The upper respiratory tract or upper airway primarily refers to the parts of the respiratory system lying outside of the thorax or above the sternal angle. Another definition commomly used in medicine is the airway above the glottis or vocal cords...
. This disease can be transmitted to humans by unusually close contact with birds that are infected or the consuming of liquids or solids that have been in extremely close contact with an infected bird. Not unlike other avian viruses, it can be transmitted through vectors mechanically such as through mosquito
Mosquito
Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
es.
Avipoxvirus is a virus that is brick shaped and is usually 200 nanometers in diameter. This is much larger than normal virus
Virus
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...
es which are around 60 nanometers in diameter. This virus can only be contracted through vectors and consumption of infected items, but they can be filtered by a special water filter. This filter is called a Large Volume Water Sampler (LVWS).
Unlike other viruses, avipoxvirus can withstand extreme dryness. With this advantage, it can spread on dust particles. This is because it has adapted to living in the dry mucous membranes of an infected host's upper respiratory tract.
As this virus is a poxvirus, it has a high mortality
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
rate in birds, as they do in humans. The effects of this virus might increase the difficulty of breathing, eating, and drinking significantly. Exterior lesions are restricted to the non-feathered parts of the body, usually the face and legs and are characterized by proliferative and necrotizing dermatitis. Another feature of this bird pox that has been observed is the presence of blood sacs or blisters filled with bloody fluid that will collapse when pierced with a needled and allowed to drain.
This virus has the highest mortality rate
Mortality rate
Mortality rate is a measure of the number of deaths in a population, scaled to the size of that population, per unit time...
in upland gamebirds such as songbird
Songbird
A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds . Another name that is sometimes seen as scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin oscen, "a songbird"...
s, marine birds such as seagulls, parrot
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
s, and some raptor
Bird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....
s such as the peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
. If the victim of the virus survives long enough to breed, then the offspring
Offspring
In biology, offspring is the product of reproduction, of a new organism produced by one or more parents.Collective offspring may be known as a brood or progeny in a more general way...
will become mentally retarded.
Other names for this peculiar
Peculiar
Peculiar may refer to:* Peculiar , an album by The Slackers* Peculiar, a comic strip, later published as a book, by cartoonist Richard Sala* In the Church of England, a Peculiar, is an extra-diocesan place of worship...
virus might include avian pox, fowlpox
Fowlpox
Fowlpox is a worldwide disease of poultry caused by viruses of the family Poxviridae and the genus Avipoxvirus. The viruses causing fowlpox are distinct from one another but antigenically similar, possible hosts including chickens, turkeys, quail, canaries, pigeons, and many other species of...
, canarypox, juncopox, mynahpox, and many other names that correspond with its peculiar characteristics.
External links
- Viralzone: Avipoxvirus
- Virus Pathogen Database and Analysis Resource (ViPR): Poxviridae
- Species Profile- Fowlpox (Avipoxvirus), National Invasive Species Information Center, United States National Agricultural LibraryUnited States National Agricultural LibraryThe United States National Agricultural Library is one of the world's largest agricultural research libraries, and serves as a National Library of the United States and as the library of the United States Department of Agriculture...
. Lists general information and resources for Fowlpox.