Fatal pox infection in a rough-legged hawk.

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Pathology
• Avian Diseases
• Wildlife Health

Background:

• Pox infections are significant viral diseases affecting various avian species.
• Understanding host susceptibility is crucial for managing wildlife health and disease transmission.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document a natural pox infection in a rough-legged hawk (Buteo lagopus).
• To assess the pathogenicity and host range of the identified poxvirus through experimental inoculation.

Main Methods:

• Gross, histological, and electron microscopic examination of lesions from a naturally infected rough-legged hawk.
• Experimental inoculation of case material into susceptible avian species, including red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) and great horned owls (Bubo virginianus).

Main Results:

• Findings in the naturally infected hawk were consistent with pox infection.
• Red-tailed hawks developed characteristic pox lesions after inoculation.
• Great horned owls did not exhibit clinical signs or lesions following inoculation.

Conclusions:

• The case represents a natural pox infection in a rough-legged hawk, likely leading to mortality via starvation and hemorrhage.
• The poxvirus demonstrated pathogenicity in rough-legged hawks and red-tailed hawks, but not in great horned owls, suggesting a degree of host specificity.