Avian pox infection in Spanish Imperial eagles (Aquila adalberti)

A cutaneous lesion, previously known as "warts", affecting the featherless parts of face and legs has long been recognized in juvenile Spanish Imperia l eagles (Aquila adalberti). This paper describes the presentation, microbi ological, histopathological, and electron microscopic findings of lesions a nd diagnosis of poxvirus infection in nine juveniles. Lesions consisted of single or multiple nodules with a crust and surrounded by skin swelling. Se venty-eight percent of the swabs taken from lesions yielded bacterial growt h, with Escherichia coli being the most common bacterium isolated. Histopat hology revealed typical pox lesions in all cases. Histopathological changes found consisted of proliferative epithelium, with ballooning degeneration of keratinocytes and lymphocyte infiltrates extending into underlying dermi s. Avianpox virus was confirmed by the presence of eosinophilic intracytopl asmatic inclusion bodies in the affected cells on light microscopy, and dia gnosis confirmation was performed by electron microscopy of biopsies from a ll nine eagles.