Pathology of avian pox in wild red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) in Spain

The diagnosis and pathology of an avian pox outbreak in free-living red-legged partridges in Cádiz, Southern Spain, is described. Diagnosis of the disease was based on histopathology, ultrastructural examination of, and virus isolation from lesions of necropsied animals. Lesions were present mainly in juvenile partridges (41%), and were observed primarily on the dorsal part of the digits or on the hock joint. The lesions ranged from small wartlike nodules to large tumor-like lesions. The presence of acute lesions of any grade as opposed to absence of lesions or healed lesions adversely affected body condition of the partridges (P <.01). Further investigations on the epidemiology of the disease and on the relation of the isolated strains to other avian poxviruses are under way.